You Promised Me Forever
by I'll Kick Your Muggle Ass
Summary: What happens when Edward slips up and changes Bella? Then the Cullens and Edward run, leaving her in the forest to fight for herself? Well, a lot can change in five months but for some, change isn't really a good thing when it lasts forever...
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: _I do not own Twilight or the characters used in this fanfiction (_**_except Vincent**). Stephanie Meyer owns this amazing piece of work where stalkers are welcome to climb in your bedroom window and watch you sleep.** JOKES **but yeah, there will be some Edward bashing within this story so... Sorry if you like him.**_

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><p>Prologue<p>

I could not remember being this close to danger.

_Close enough to feel it bite at my bare skin._

_Close enough to taste its hatred on my tongue._

_Close enough to hear its angered hiss in my ears._

_Close enough to sense its presence creep around me._

As if it was a snake, waiting to lunge at its prey.

My unnaturally quick running strides only took me closer to my death.

_I was afraid of it all._

_I hated all of them._

_I wanted home._

_To be home with him._

_Them._

_My family._

Half of my mind was yelling for me to turn back to safety.

The other half wanted to me to keep going, to keep looking.

_The fear that filled my body was brutal._

_The fear, I knew, would not be forgiving at all._

_The fear was not frightened to make itself known._

Like it always would.

Like it already had.

But I was not scared for myself.

_No, no, no_!

I was scared _for_ him…

I just could not help it…

_The fear of losing him was so strong…_

…_And if I lost him, he would have broken his promise._


	2. Chapter One, Death Is Better

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, SM does. All characters (but Vincent** _who we shall meet later_ _on_**) are owned and were created by SM too... **So yeah, that's it.

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><p>Chapter One<p>

Death Is Better Than My Life

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><p>Eternity…<p>

I used to think that was what I wanted. To live forever. I wanted to do that. Live. Forever. That was because I was naïve. Stupid, even. In my mind, happy endings were real. People got what they wanted. Love survived through thick and thin. Fairytales ended well. How wrong was I?

Very, very wrong…

I'd like to think that I wasn't naïve anymore but I have to wonder if I have changed from what I was. Am I still a small girl that thinks everything will be fine and dandy? Hopefully, not. If I was, I would want to change so, so much. Who I was, it wasn't me. _They_ manipulated me to be the way _they _wanted me to be, so I would never ever go to find _them_. I'd never look for _them_.

Even if that meant _forever_…

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><p>The fire within my throat burned as the wind suddenly changed direction, blowing a sweet scent straight to me. Small flames flicked around at the flesh of my throat as I breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of blood. It had a slightly different aroma. There was an edge to it. I already knew why though, this person had alcohol in their system or they had taken drugs recently. But, at least it was blood and I was due a feed. It had been nearly two weeks since my last fill so, really, I was over due. Time had run by.<p>

Quickly, I changed direction, heading towards where the delicious smell was coming from. Within seconds, I was standing at the edge of a small farm, trees encasing the whole area. Surrounded by shadows, my eyes scanned the old-ish house that stood a small distance away from the forest edge. Sniffing the air, I could tell where the person with the desirable blood was coming from. As quick as lightning, I was standing by the open double doors of a barn that stood a little away from the house.

Inside the barn, there stood a man in his late twenties, maybe his early thirties. He stood with his back to me, grooming a horse while nodding his head along to the music playing loudly from a portable radio. A few bottles of beer stood empty by his feet, proving my theory of him having alcohol in his system right. Watching him, I briefly thought if he had a family, a girlfriend or maybe even a wife and they might have had a child on the way. He had his own life and I was going to be destroying it. To me, though, it wouldn't matter. I'm being set on fire and he can help me by giving me his blood. So I flashed to his side, grabbed a handful of hair before bending him down to my height.

"It's painless", I whispered, "I promise".

Then I snapped his neck with one swift move. I dunked my head and sank my subtly sharpened teeth into the soft flesh of the man's neck. Instantly, the warmth of his blood radiated into me while the lovely liquid ran over my parted lips and into my mouth. His blood was a little sour from the alcohol but it was still sweet and cool compared to the flames in my throat. It lessened the burn a good bit but I'd have to feed again in the next couple of days.

I let out a sigh, knowing that I'd have to do some more business tonight. Clothing was needed. An idea flickered to life in my calculating mind so I grabbed the lifeless man, slung him over my shoulder and headed towards the small house in a hurry. Once the door was slammed behind me, I glanced down at the man in my arms. God no, I was getting worse. He looked full of potential. _So ready_ for life. And I had taken that away from him. But it was the same for me and I would have chosen death over being what I was any day.

Death was a fantastic gift.

Life was an amazing prize.

Quickly, I searched around the house until I found the bedroom. There I lay him on the bed and watched as the teeth marks sealed together, leaving a scar in the shape of my bite and a fading red mark. _The wonders of venom_. Really, the bite mark just looked like an actually bitten, very deep, very serious love-bite. Once I was sure it looked like he had passed away in his sleep, I turned towards a wardrobe that looked like it had seen through both of the World Wars. Tugging the stiff doors open, I peeled a few shirts out before putting most of them back but leaving one out. It's black with light grey pinstripes and the sleeves are way to long so I rolled them up before buttoning most of it up. One glance in the mirror told me that it would do but I needed to get a better outfit before being seen in public. At least it will cover the blood stains on my other clothes.

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><p>Loneliness…<p>

You'd think I was used to it by now, after months of running as a _lone_ vampire. But I missed the atmosphere of my family and the loudness of my friends. I missed them so much. There were always little things that would remind me of them but I never thought much of it. Whether it was the lecturing of a man in his early forties or a giggling woman in her late thirties, I always felt alone.

I missed being human…

Being what I was, there were a lot of things that made you glance over your shoulder a lot. Be it another lone vampire or a bunch of nosey humans, you had to watch what you did and what you said. Also, territory had a big impact on your life. I may only be young but I had learnt a lot in the last few months as a vampire. For example, a clan (or coven) of vampires wouldn't hesitate to tear you a part if you became an intruder. It was a scary life.

Real quite scary being a vampire…

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><p>As I made my way back into the shadowy trees, I felt myself tense up at the scent that hit me only a few miles into the forest. It was unfamiliar to me but that really wasn't new. That <em>wasn't<em> what worried me, though. The fact is, the scent seemed to be everywhere, in every direction and there was a good tint of vampire mixed with the different aroma.

Up and down. Right and left. Forward and, even, backwards towards that man's house. That _was_ what worried me. And I knew if this was a danger to me, I probably wouldn't survive.

"Well, well, well, well, well, well. Look over here, Char", a voice drawled lazily. "An itty bitty girlie girl".

There was a rush of air as three figures appeared, _almost_, out of nowhere in front of me. One of the male vampires chuckled as I hissed automatically, feeling threatened as the numbers were not in my favour. He was tall, taller than me anyway, with sandy blonde hair that was tied back with a thin shred of leather. By his appearance, I would have guessed he had been changed in his twenties but I could have been wrong. His eyes were glowing red, laughter dancing within the ruby orbs that were intently focused on me as I shook from the tension in my joints.

"You're a long way from home, lil' one", the man smirked. "I think you've-"

"Garrett, please, don't taunt her", the woman scolded, frowning slightly. "She's a newborn so be careful".

My attention snapped to her as irritation bubbled within me and I started to analyse her appearance. Her white-blonde hair fell in soft waves down her back, stopping just at the level of her elbows. She was slightly taller than me but not by much yet I knew she could easily take me in a brawl. With an innocent, pixie-looking face, her crimson eyes shone brightly and grabbed my attention as they stood out from her ultra pale skin. That wasn't surprising. We, vampires, were all pale and most of us had red eyes. Nothing new. But with such an young face, she must have been changed in her very early twenties or her last few years of being a teenager.

"He's only playin' with 'er, Char", the second male and last member of the trio grinned. "I mean, she's quite defensive and you ain't even insulted her clothin' choice yet".

He wasn't as tall as the other man but his shoulders were just slightly broader. His eyes, like the others, were like two small seas of blood but were filled by confusion and worry that couldn't be hidden like the emotions on his face. His silvery blonde hair was cropped short, just hanging by his ears and a little over his forehead. He looked around twenty-something with barely visible laughter lines etched into his face. A smirk played at his lips before it slipped and his head inclined towards the woman.

"Hun, do you wanna tell us who you are?" She spoke softly, her voice almost like a lullaby.

To that, a quiet growl rumbled from my chest and my eyes narrowed as I caught her tiny step towards me. It was worrying, how I could control my animalistic reactions. Everything about vampire life was wild and uncontrollable.

"Watch yourself", the second guy snarled angrily, moving to stand in front of the woman.

He stared at me, eyeing me with an extremely calculating gaze. That was easy to understand. The man was sizing me up, not that there was much to me. I was short and a little too slim, nothing else to it. But to him, although I looked small and fragile, I was a threat. Size was nothing but the age was something. Younger equals stronger. And I could be days old for all he knew. His eyes moved along my bare arms, taking in the many vampire bite-shaped scars that decorated my flesh. Guiltily, I brush my sleeves down until my hands were covered, feeling self-conscious about my scars. The other man arched a dark eyebrow, lips twitching up just a little bit.

Letting out a huff of air, I stared straight back at him, hating how his gaze seemed to see right into my soul. At my tiny show of anger, he raised his other eyebrow, his smirk growing wider. Oh great, well, two can play at this childish, stupid game! Still glaring, I arched one of my eyebrows in retaliation. Now, he's showing a little bit of teeth so I let my other eyebrow go up too.

Then, all of a sudden, he was doubled over, clutching his stomach while letting out a booming laugh that causes birds to shoot out from the trees and into the sky, squealing. The other two shook their heads, grinning widely. It seemed as if they were used to his random laughing fits.

"You're cute", the laughing guy grinned, winking at me cheekily. "Really quite cute…"

"What! Cute?" The woman chuckled. "You say that to every girl, human and vampire, you meet so really, it isn't really _even_ a compliment! No offence, doll".

With a quiet, tinkling voice, I said, "None taken", and all of their attention was back on me.

Each one of them stood there with different expressions masking their faces. The woman was smiling sweetly, the laughing guy was still grinning while the other looked slightly confused. His eyebrows were furrowed and his mouth was set in a tight line, hinting that he was also a little frustrated over something. He glanced over at the woman, catching her eyes before mumbling something too quick and too quiet for me to hear from the distance that I stood at. She nodded, though, before letting her eyes drift back over to me.

"Can I get your name, honey?" Now, I caught a slight southern twang.

Breathing deeply, I cast my eyes upwards, "Isabella Marie Swan".

Her smile grew, "Ah, such a lovely name. Well, I'm Charlotte Whitlock and he's my husband and mate, Peter", she waved her hand towards the puzzled man. "Mr I-Laugh-A-Lot is our friend, practically family actually, Garrett".

Weirdly, as Garrett bowed lowly, I chuckled for the first time in a long while. It sounded like a bell ringing and that was what annoyed me. I missed sounding human, too. Sounding like a bloody door bell just wasn't good for me. That might sound stupid but it was true. God, I really was an idiot for thinking that a vampire's life was the way to go.

"So… We'd like you to join our little… family", Peter told me, sounding serious. "It isn't good for a newborn to run around on its own and I believe we might be able to help you".

Biting my lip, I had to stop myself retorting with attitude about how I had spent five months alone with no one watching me. The Volturi wouldn't have noticed at least one person from towns that were miles apart dying every few weeks. It wasn't that much of a big deal and plus I was relatively controlled since I hardly came into contact with any humans. But I kept my mouth shut.

"I don't mean that in a bad way, Isabella", he went on, "but I just had to say that it would be better if you learnt our way of life. We feed off of humans but we feed off of criminals".

That caught my attention like nothing else had before.

"Innocents who are pleasant don't deserve to die", Charlotte explained. "We think that the people in this world who cause trouble and demonstrate bad behaviour, like drug taking, rape, murder, etcetera. These types of people deserve to be punished".

I could feel myself being drawn to their way of thought and the way that they presented their ideas on life. Garrett stood behind them with a stern look on his face as he continued to nod along with everything they said. His eyes glittered with something that I couldn't name.

Peter smirked, lightening the mood, "Plus its fun seeing them squirm when they try to injure you and can't. It shows that they are weaker than we are. That is truly fun, right Gar?"

"Oh yeah! You walk in on something and you might be helping someone while your killing the scum of the earth", Garrett's eyes glazed over as if he was in a memory. "It's a huge thrill".

My hands clenched unconsciously as I visualised the image that Garrett had described. You wouldn't be a real demon as you could be saving an innocent life and you were ridding the world of someone who would only cause more trouble. It would be a way of redeeming yourself. It would mean I had a soul. I would prove _him _wrong…

"Okay, if it's fine, then I'll join you", I let my lips curve slightly. "I need to change my life and find my soul".

"Goodie!" Garrett squealed, "Now, can we please head out? We've gotta hurry it up if we want to get home before they visit… again".

"God you're such a baby", Peter grumbled quietly. "And yes, we're leaving".

OOO

The feeling of the wind whipping my hair back was different as I ran with my three new coven members. It was more freeing than when I had sprinted before. I don't know why but it just seemed that way. Maybe it was the thought of having more protection or the thought of finally getting rid of the loneliness that had been hanging around me for some time.

"We're expectin' visitors, dolly", Peter sniggered, "but I'll phone 'em and get more time for ya".

I was about to protest when Charlotte sped by us, giggling madly when she elbows Peter, making him trip over a fallen tree. Her blonde hair flew back, causing her scent to fly back towards me. It was sweet like everything nice but it had a slight tangy aroma. She continued running even as Peter was slowly catching up, leaping up to swing from the lower branches before speeding along the ground again.

"I'll kill you, Whitlock", he yelled, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

The sun was making itself known and I watched in awe as Garrett, Peter and Charlotte sparkled then ran back into the shade. My skin looked like it had diamonds encrusted in it but I was quick to dive back under the trees, feeling less self-conscious when I wasn't like a disco ball. This was just another silly reminder of _him_ and _his _stupid meadow. God, how I hated everything about _him_. _Them_.

"They'll be brawling for hours now", Garrett called back as he leapt over a river. "It's like this at least once a month but, hey? At least I won't be alone, watching them banter between each other".

My lips curled as I caught up to him, my legs blurring underneath me but I hardly noticed. It was such a joyful feeling. Garrett's arms swayed with each stride he took and I could just imagine when he was a small child. Crazy and wild with excitement that only a kid could have. The image of a younger, more human Garrett made me smile cheerfully and I already felt the bond that was creating between the two of us. A bond of friendship.

"Didn't your mamma tell you not to stare", he mumbled in mock anger. "It's quite scary, Isa".

At that nickname, I froze. Isa? That was a change from being Bella anyway. And, for some strange but, at the same time, normal reason, I liked it a lot more than 'Bella' or 'Isabella'.

"My mother told me to live life while I still had it and never give up on love 'cos it's always going be there", I told him, "and look where that got me, Gar? Cold as ice, stone-like and stuck with a weirdo who tells me not to stare".

The look of surprise on his face turned into a wide grin before he was racing forward again, battering his way through the bushes and trees like his life depended on it. But I understood.

_Finally…_

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><p><em><strong>I seriously hope you enjoyed reading this chapter because I had fun writing it.<strong>_

_**Hopefully, you'll enjoy the rest to come and I'll have as much fun writing them as I did this one...**_


	3. Chapter Two, You're Keeping The Kid?

**DISCLAIMER: _I, sadly, don't own Twilight. I only twist it so that it is the story that I want it to be. _**_Edward **should be arrested for his stalker-like way. **Bella **should be more independent. **Emmett **should be in more scenes. **_**BUT THAT'S ONLY MY OPINION,**_ sadly..._

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

You're Keeping The Kid?

I was captivated by the area that practically glowed with cheeriness before me. If I thought _their _house was beautiful, then I definitely was a naïve, little girl. Charlotte and Peter's house had to be the most sweet-looking building that I had ever had the honour of seeing. It stood surrounded by trees and there was _not_ a town or village for nearly thirty miles, or that's what Peter had said. The building itself was like an oversized wooden cottage. Charlotte had slapped Peter _and _Garrett when they both started to gloat about how they painted the entire house in one hour.

Garrett smirked from where he stood on the porch, "By the look on your face, I would say you really loved this place already".

"How could I not?"

And it was true. With patches of brightly coloured flowers dotted around in front of the clear, white porch. To the side of the house, there was a small stable and I could hear the heavy breathing of two horses but I could also smell the blood. Horrible and disgusting. I thought I was going to choke just from the smell of it. But the stable was cute with a deep red door that contrasted with the lime green wooden walls. I could tell that Charlotte had controlled the entire decorating task.

"You should say that to the creator", Peter said. "She'd be thrilled".

"I'll go find Charlotte then, shall I?"

"Eh, no, hun", the woman herself shook her head. "I didn't decorate this 'cos if I did, everythin' would be painted a light blue. You'll meet my decorator very soon, actually".

"But I've asked them not to come for another week or so, Char", Peter shrugged. "I believe Bella should settle in first then meet our 'extended' family or she might be overwhelmed".

She scowled for a second before keeping a neutral expression, "Extended family for you, Pete", and then she danced her way in the house.

The two men glanced at each other before Garrett gave a slight shake of his head and started to make his way towards the stables. Peter, on the other hand, ran his hands down his face with a sigh then gave me a forced smile. His eyes filled with worry but then turned to follow Garrett.

"I'd get used to the area, if I were ya", he mumbled weakly, "but try to stay at least ten miles away from the surrounding humans".

I watched, utterly confused, as Peter jogged at a human pace into the barn and begun whispering to Garrett at such a pace that even I couldn't understand it. Their conversation was just a low buzz to me. They emerged slowly a few seconds later, each with the reins of a horse in their hands. My brows pulled together as I noticed the expression that was now showing on Peter's face. It didn't seem to be sadness but it was more like he was angered by something with just a hint of worry. Garrett was the complete opposite. He was still beaming and I wondered if he could actually be sad? Was it possible? Because I didn't think that that guy had the knowledge of showing a negative emotion.

With a slight shake of my head, I gracefully leapt up the porch stairs with two quick strides before slipping off my shoes just before entering. As soon as I noticed the smooth, stone flooring, I had the urge to do the slip-and-slide from one wall to the other. My eyes scanned the living room, noticing the pale green, mint walls that went well with the grass green sofa that curved around the TV that was drilled into the wall opposite the front door. Even the aroma of the house was homey. It belonged to a family. Photo frames were hung from each wall, most of them were only pictures of scenery but there were a few that held pictures of the trio. One that caught my eyes looked quite old compared to the rest. In it, Charlotte, who was beaming widely at the camera, was dressed in a simple but very elegant, white dress that fell straight down to the floor. Peter, with his arm around her and looked like he was whispering something into her ear, was dressed in a smart, black suit with a crisp, white shirt. Their left hands were intertwined together, holding the bouquet of flowers, and I noticed the golden band that each had on their ring finger. Had that been their wedding day? It was gorgeous. They were lucky to experience real love and not something so fake that no one even realised the difference between true and false. Yet, I was happy for them. I was sure that they deserved it.

"He was the first one I saw after I woke up", Charlotte's voice floated towards me. "My trust in him never faded throughout my first year so when he told me to run, I did without question. I wanted him to come with me straight away but he had to wait a little while. After that, we got married".

"You look beautiful", I smiled, "and he's very handsome".

"Yeah, just don't let him hear you say that. His ego is big enough without you inflating it up even more. But that's the reason why I want him all to myself all of the time. I'm scared he'll forget out me one day. For that reason, we had our first fight but once he came back, we sorta got it all fixed out. He had just wanted to help his 'brother' but, I must say, when that man left, I was overjoyed but I would never say that to his face", she laughed quietly. "Garrett's our brother, too, but he's different 'cos he's more carefree".

"Can he ever be serious?" I asked, genuinely curious. "It doesn't seem like he can…"

"Only if someone he cares about it in danger. He'll protect them until the attacked dies or leaves. He just likes to live to the full _all of the time_".

I nodded, liking the description that she gave Garrett. It made a lot of sense. I was sure that for the three of them, if one was in trouble, they would protect each other. Hopefully, one day soon, it would be the same for me. Only time would tell.

OOO

Did you know that for a vampire days pass like minutes? I had never experienced anything like time passing in such a way until I had turned from fragile to sturdy. But with each hour that went by, I was finding it more difficult to think of anything good to do. Anything that would take my mind away from processing what I had become and how my life had changed so much. Sure, with people around, it was easier but it wasn't enough to help all of the time. It was interesting, though. As more time went by, I found myself acknowledging more about my new family members.

Charlotte had a problem with keeping everything clean. She would follow you around and everything that you moved, she would be fixing it so it was back in place. In some weird way, it made me think of a very paranoid mother.

Peter would look as if he knew something that you didn't. His eyes sometimes glowed with knowledge and his face was set in a very wise expression. He never spoke of what he knew but I started to notice how much he whispered to Charlotte. They were keeping secrets.

Garrett, well, he was all fun and games until he got hungry. His humour was slightly dirty-minded but Charlotte always kept him in check. He turned into a grouch when his thirst got too much for him and that was what I was experiencing on a very early morning.

"But Petey", he whined loudly, "I'm starving and it's been ages since I've gotten a good laugh at the fear in a human's eyes".

That caused Peter to burst out laughing, venom filling his eyes but the tears didn't fall like a human's would. They had a very brotherly bond, Peter and Garrett. Throughout the three days I had been staying with them, I had noticed the way that they liked to act like children. Charlotte would scold them while I was forced into a fit of giggles at their antics. Most of the time, they would argue then end up pretend fighting in the fields or knocking over a few trees while the other was hiding in it. My thoughts were always centred on one thing, though:

_They were so different from _them.

"Fine, Gar, we'll go but behave, please", Charlotte rolled her eyes. "No toyin' with the food, hun, alright?"

He nodded his head wildly; excitement glistening in his eyes as he bolted into the house and was out seconds later, a leather jacket slung over his shoulders.

OOO

I was surrounded by the three of them as a precaution. They weren't taking any chances. Even though with the control that I had been showing was, supposedly, exceptional, Peter had said that it would be better to be more safe than sorry. I must say, though, I agreed with them completely. By one mistake, I could easily destroy their lives by making them known for the creatures that we were. That would be a mess.

"Hold your breath, Isa", Garrett chuckled, his hand hold mine tightly as we ran through the forest, getting closer to the town full of warm-blooded humans that would quench my thirst. "Behave, Isa".

His gaze was focused on my own orbs that I was sure would be pitch black at that second. Hunger would be thriving within my eyes, growing larger with more strength. All of the thoughts that were running through my mind were only zeroed in on one thing: Blood. The sweet liquid that was going to cool the burning sensation that was erupting within my throat with each step that brought my closer to my food source.

"Hush, Gar", Peter warned, his hand wrapping tightly around my other wrist. "Just keep your breath held, Bella, an' I'll tell ya when to breathe again".

Nodding, I sucked in one last deep breath before holding it. Nothing changed. There was no tightening of my chest or any stabbing pain in my throat. There was only burn, nothing more nothing less.

"Turn left here, Char".

They kept their conversation going as a quiet volume but I still managed to hear it. Our steps were light and there was only a slight _tap_ of every step that sounded when my feet to hit the ground. It was then that voices that weren't our own filled the air. One sounded petrified while the others were chuckling, finding the pain of the first quite funny. There was no way to explain the rage that filled me when a scream pierced the air. It flared to life just like my throat and I had to remind myself that it was Garrett and Peter holding on to me, not someone else. I knew them. They were helping me. Heartbeats, some faint and others thudding, reached my sensitive ears. The sound itself was delicious.

"Right, Bella, count to ten then breathe".

_One…_

The tip of a chimney could be seen just above the tree tops, smoke puffing out of it before it drifted away in the wind.

_Two…_

A second scream, a different one, echoed from the direction of the chimney. The sound was full of fear and pain, making a shiver ripple through my body just from the sound.

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Five…_

_Six…_

Garrett was hopping slightly, joyful sniggers escaping his parted lips. He wasn't finding this hard. My struggle was becoming quite difficult to put up with. Of course, he was older than me with more experience but I could only feel the pull that kept yanking me towards the direction of where my thirst would be drowned out.

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Nine…_

A warehouse came into my line of sight then. The old wooden slats were falling off, showing some of the insides of the dirtied building. I couldn't resist so I took in one tiny breath, keeping my cool. Different scents clung to the warehouse's surroundings. Some smelled tainted while others were clean, practically like new blood. Speaking of blood, dried, rusty-brown splatters were stuck to the ground, trees, scattered pieces of metal and any other surfaces. My fury just grew.

_Ten!_

My mouth fell open when the number entered my mind and I could nearly taste all of those smells that were lingering everywhere around the area. Venom filled my mouth almost instantly. The animalistic urge to slaughter overtook me as I shook both of the guys off of me, knowing that they were letting me away. Charlotte and Peter headed in around the back of the warehouse while Garrett followed silently behind me, keeping a safe distance away from me. Lowering into a crouch, I sprinted into the building and was in the middle of a drug addicts 'little party'. They all looked a little stoned, leaning against the walls with their eyes closed slightly.

"Look! It's an angel", one woman slurred, giggling hysterically, the side of her face pressed against the dusty floor. "I wanna wish. A wish for me, please, pretty angel".

I had to hold in my laughter. If only she knew that I was closer to being a demon than an angel. For her, I would be the Angel of Death. Her blood was off but still had a certain pull to it. With a smile full of mischief, I stalked forward before kneeling down to her level. She stared at me with lazy eyes but I didn't pay full attention to her face as I dunked down and sunk my teeth into her bruised neck. There was no struggle, only a shudder before she was limp in my arms. A sigh left my mouth as a gulp of blood made its way down my throat, rolling over the flames that flickered over the flesh inside of me. With a bitter taste, I kept on swallowing, allowing myself to enjoy the feel of my thirst slowly dispersing. When I had drained her, I dropped her to the floor carelessly. My eyes scanned the room that was now filled with dead bodies. Some by our feeding, others by drug overdoses by the smell of it. None vampires were in sight by their aromas were still floating throughout the air.

"Peter! Charlotte!" Garrett's voice boomed through the building.

My legs sped forward. As soon as I entered the room where Garrett was in, I heard a quiet, weak whimper that pulled at my heart. The sound was so fragile. So childish. And that's where it came from. A child was curled up into a tight ball in the furthest corner from the door. A mop of black curls was hiding his face from my view but I knew he could be no older than five. His little arms were clenched around his legs that had been pulled up to his chest as he rocked back and forth. He was terrified. The haunted look in his eyes meant that he had seen something no child should have.

"Bella, get out, please", Charlotte said as she moved by me.

Grabbing her forearm, I yanked her back as a quick 'no' left my lips. Growls sounded from behind me but I ignored them. To be safe, I let go of Charlotte's arm and carefully made my way towards the shivering boy. The burning in my throat was dulling and even as I got closer, it didn't come back to life. That surprised me but I didn't show it. Gently, I got to my knees and shuffled forward. Bright blue eyes focused on me and his quivering increased. His bottom lip quivered violently. Just as I got a few centimetres away, the faint reek of old, dried blood that had a different tang to it reached my nostrils. There was a stained bandage that was wrapped around his thin chest that was visible through his shredded shirt. My eyes flew backwards when I heard metal banging to the ground. A knife covered in blood.

"Hey", I whispered softly to the boy, "do you want to tell me your name?"

He swallowed loudly, "Vincent".

I nodded, "Well, Vincent, I'm Bella and that's Charlotte, Garrett and Peter. Do you want to tell me what those bad people did to you?"

"Cut me up here", Vincent rubbed his chest, wincing slightly. "And didn't bring me any dinners".

"The cuts are badly infected and really deep, Isa, he won't survive", Garrett mumbled quietly.

I shook my head in disagreement, "I'm gonna help him", and with that, I scooped the boy up into my arms before darting out of the room.

From behind me, I could hear them shouting but only Garrett's shocked 'you're keeping the kid?' made me laugh humourlessly. He'd be the only one to ask such a stupid and unimportant question. Okay, maybe it was a little important…

My arms rocked him as I ran through the trees, following our scents back to the house before running into my 'bedroom' that wasn't being used for anything but storage for my new clothes. Laying Vincent down on my bed, I pushed his hair back away from his forehead. Dirt and grime covered his flesh and I could see bruises that were just beginning to fade.

"Do you want my help, Vincent?" I murmured kindly.

He shrugged his slim shoulders, not knowing how to answer.

"Go to sleep and when you wake up everything will be all better".

His eyelids drooped just as I said those words and a small, dimpled smile was twitching at his lips. My eyes scanned his face, noticing how his features reminded me so much of a man I had once known. The dimples, curly dark hair and blue eyes were all things that made me choke back a sob. He'd be a child forever. Stuck in the mindset of a kid for eternity. But he wouldn't be alone. I would always be with him.

And with that final thought, I kissed his forehead before injecting my venom into his blood stream.

_I'd always be there for him…_

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><p><em><strong>Well another chapter up... More will be said about little Vincent and who he is...<strong>_Until next time, people. **Edward will be stalking you... And Emmett will still be making jokes about who has 'scored' lately...** _So yeah, in the next few chapters you will hopefully get a laugh but that's me hoping!_


	4. Chapter Three, Control Is Everything

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight isn't mine. Twilight isn't mine. Twilight isn't mine. Twilight isn't mine. _**

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

Control Is Everything

The house was silent except the small whimpers that were slowly turning into screams that were full of pain up the stairs. My hands were clenched in my hair, pulling at the strands in pure and utter guilt. I could feel it swallowing me up until my unneeded breathing was uneven and laboured, gulps of air being dragged into my system like I was suffocating. This was bad, quite extremely bad. Never, in my life of knowing _them_ or my life as a Cold One, had I thought that I would have changed anyone. Especially a child. A small child whose life was being snatched away from him so suddenly. How dare I? Maybe _he _had been right. Maybe as soon as your heart stops beating, you lose your soul. I just hoped _he _had been wrong.

"Dolly, why'd you do that?" Peter asked, slinging his arm over my shoulder.

I had to force down the urge to shove him away from me and wallow deeper into self-pity. Why? Little Vincent was the one going through that horrible change. He was so young and had probably never faced this much pain in his short life of living. But then he had been slowly but surely dying? Only half an hour ago, he had been faced with infected cuts and a starved body. So, technically, had I saved his life in some way? I seriously wasn't sure if what I had just done was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Bella?"

Sighing through my sobs, I groaned, "He was dying, Peter. He's so young and I just felt like I should, you know? His little face just reminded me so much of…"

My voice trailed off, realising where I was going. I wouldn't mention any of _them_, not even the innocent ones that had no say in what had happened to me. Sure, I blamed quite a lot of them but there were a few that had stayed back and not really given their say. One had stayed back the most, hiding from me but I understood. Another believed my decision was wrong and that I was throwing away so much but I still understood. The burliest one of all had taken me in and treated me like family but kept his distance and I understood that too. The rest had been so welcoming. They had acted like the family I had always wanted, giving me a large slice of hope that I had clung to. Then it was ripped away from me. _They _had left me there to face everything alone. And for that, _I hated them so much._

"Reminded you of what?" Peter questioned, elbowing me in the ribs softly. "You can tell me, Bella, 'cos I already know _somethin'_".

Yeah, there he was with the 'knowing' stuff again.

"How to you _know something_, Peter? Please, explain", I hissed, feeling my irritation rise.

He grinned, "I just know".

Up went my irritation once again.

"It's like a gift but just not, I refuse to think of it as a _gift_", he practically growled out the last word, his top lip curling upwards. "And if you call it a gift, I'll tear you limb from limb".

Pushing my smile away, I flinched when a high-pitched shriek tore through the air, gripping me tightly with its hurtful claws. My eyes squeezed shut and I yanked hard at my hair, whimpering along with the little boy who was probably shredding the sheet that covered the mattress. It would be no surprise if he was destroying the mattress either. The pain was excruciating, I knew that. He was only small, it was an obvious fact. Forever, he would be stuck as a child. There would be no need for him to worry about adult life. But I had still changed someone who still held innocence, no matter how much torture Vincent had been through.

"We'll just have to watch our backs a little more now", Garrett was suddenly by my side, pulling me into him. "No one will hurt you or the lil' one".

By the tone of his voice, I knew he was serious. Yet I wondered who would hurt a child, even if it was a vampire one, and why. Honestly, there seemed to be no more danger than a normal newborn vampire and the Volturi would probably not notice a few more humans disappearing every now and then. Vincent would be raised to be like Peter, Garrett and Charlotte. In control when he needed to be but he knew what to do when his thirst was too much. I would help him, too.

"Gar!" Peter yelled, leaping to his feet, "We're gonna die one day 'cos of… _it_! Whether the Volturi find our by accident or on purpose, we're all gonna die. They will not allow an immortal child to run freely around, killin' villages with each tantrum".

Wait, what? Immortal child? Killing villages with each tantrum? All of us being killed? My vampire mind flew through the information it had just taken in, analysing each word while committing it further into my brain. It was a quick process so I was fast to react.

"Explain Peter!"

His face hardened, "The Volturi does not allow children under the age of thirteen to be changed. It is against the law to do so. In earlier years, people experimented. They turned children and were killed because of the consequences. These children, if you can call them that, don't know how to control anythin' that is within them. The beast is alive at all times. They are around ten times worse than newborns. They get worked up easily, and kill entire villages because of their fury". He sounded strained, like he was holding back from shouting at me, "Anyone who creates or knows of this happenin' and doesn't tell the Volturi, is killed instantly once the information finds its way to the higher ones. The Brothers don't take this offence lightly".

My stunned silence seemed to satisfy him as Peter stormed towards the barn, where I found the sound of a sobbing Charlotte. God, I had destroyed them in so little time. If I were them, I would have been shredded, burned and left, not lectured of the laws of the immortal children. From my left, Garrett was frozen, his grip tight around me but I wasn't going to move soon. All I could do was sit there, staring into space with one screaming thought stuck in my head:

_What had I done?_

OOO

Three days went by but Peter and Charlotte were hardly seen. Garrett stood by my side when I watched Vincent thrash on the bed, screams turning into scratchy cries of pain. He had been screaming so much that his throat had given up, only managing a shriek-like groan every few seconds. It was horrible but Garrett told me it would get better soon, that the end was nearly here. For me, 'nearly' wasn't good enough. I was still choked up with guilt but it wasn't only for Vincent. It was also for Peter, Charlotte and Garrett. They would be taken down too if the Volturi ever found out. And the odds weren't in our favour. Most likely, a passing nomad would notice the child and run straight off to the vampire royalty, hoping to be rewarded for the information. There would probably be no reward for whoever told; I was sure of that. These 'Brothers' who led the Volturi didn't seem like the type to be nice. I thought they would be cruel and power-hungry. That was the impression I got when Garrett described them.

"_Use their Guard as a weapon_", he had said.

"_Never leave Italy unless it is an extreme problem_", he had told me.

"_Don't offer second chances_", and I was losing all hope of surviving at all.

Garrett kept telling me to be positive, that he'd find everyone he knew if it came down to the battle between us and the Volturi. We would fight until they gave up. We wouldn't leave the battle until we won. He seemed to understand where I was coming from when I said Vincent just seemed different from what Peter had described. The child had been in pain and had experienced torture so I was hoping, wishing, that he wouldn't be like the demons that killed many people with one bad mood. He had experienced a lot of pain. But hoping didn't seem to be getting me anywhere anymore.

"Isa?" Garrett whispered, just as the last beat of Vincent's heart thudded.

There was silence. No birds sang outside. No wind blew at all. No one spoke a word. No one even moved. My attention was on the beautiful boy that had gone still. There was no more thrashing. No more pain-filled noises. He just lay there, eyes still shut, chest not moving.

Until he sucked in a deep breath through his mouth, tasting the air for the first time. A closed-mouth smile worked along my lips as I watched him test his mouth, opening and closing it before sticking his tongue out. It was cute. With little, quick movement, he ran his tongue over each tooth, flicking it over the slightly sharpened edges carefully. Everything would feel so new. So fresh. An eye popped open then, showing the new red colour swirling within, and it grew wide with shock as it darted around, scanning everything in his line of sight. I remembered that feeling. Seeing everything, and I mean everything, float and drift above you. The dust and the once invisible particles. Vincent was so mesmerised with the new, sensitive senses that he had that he had not noticed Garrett and I standing near the wall, in the shadows slightly.

A breath left me slowly, letting Vincent know that he wasn't the only one in the room, and his answering growl was quickly cut off when he seen me. Still smiling, I made sure not to show any teeth before spreading my arms out, showing him I had nothing that would cause any harm. His eyes moved over me then a quiet hiss left him when Garrett stepped forward. They stared at each other for a while before Garrett copied my actions. Vincent's eyes found me again and he sat up, smiling with his newly whitened teeth, back at me.

"Hello Vincent", I said. "I'm glad you're… in the land of the living again?"

His smile widened, "Hi Bella! You're even more pretty than you were".

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself".

With cautious steps, I walked towards the child before holding out my hand for him to take. For a moment, confusion masked his face but Vincent put his hand in mine before had to explain my intentions. Giving a small squeeze of support, I pulled him up gently and began to stride across the room at his own pace. I watched in fascination as he stared at his legs, amazement showing in his saucer-sized eyes. Garrett was no where to be found so I frowned, knowing where he was and who he was going to be talking to.

_Peter would have to get through me to get to Vincent._

"Right, Vince, is your throat burning?" I asked, trying not to sound too angry.

Shrugging, he answered, "No, not really. Why? Should it?"

"Well, I think it should but no worries", my voice was sounding tight, even to my own ears. "It'll be fine, _I'm sure_ of it".

OOO

Peter was blocking the door that would lead us out to the sun. His face was black, arms spread wide in a guarded posture but I could see that his eyes were questioning something about Vincent. The slightly darkened orbs were never leaving the little boy, scanning and analysing his stance. My grip on Vincent's hand tightened protectively but I loosened it when I noticed the child wince. Even as a vampire, I could still bring harm to him but with his newborn body, he wouldn't get too injured.

"Why is he so calm? So controlled?" Peter whispered so only I would hear.

I shook my head slowly, "No idea. I was hoping that _someone _would have that answer".

We stood in silence for a few minutes. My eyes were never leaving Peter while his gaze only intensified when Vincent shuffled uncomfortably. His eyes stayed on the floor and I could hear him whispering numbers, he was up to sixteen, as he counted each scuff mark on the stone flooring. With each number that went by, he tightened his grip on my hand, a little sting of pain before his grip went slack once again. This entire meeting was frightening him. Seeing Peter, whose eyes were not actually blinking, was scaring him.

"Peter, please, stop staring at the boy", Garrett grumbled as he strode by. "He's gonna hate you very soon".

"His control is astoundin'", Peter's voice was full of surprise, "and he isn't even defendin' himself. It's like he's not even a newborn, least of all an immortal child. I just don't know what to think about it".

My breath caught in my throat when he finally met my stare. It was like, for a single moment, he was telling me that this was not normal. That Vincent shouldn't be like this. That maybe something was entirely wrong. Or maybe, just maybe, it was all right. For a little while longer, we shared an unknowing silence, only filled by the breathing that we had been accustomed to using.

"Garrett", Peter called out, "I think we need to test the child, see how far his control really goes".

In a second, Garrett was down in front of him, pulling out a set of keys before giving a little nod and zoomed out of the front door.

_What were they planning…?_

OOO

Silence.

Slapping.

Staring.

Growling.

Wincing.

More silence.

"For God's sake, what are you two planning?" I finally yelled out.

Peter smirked cockily, "Oh, we're just gonna see if the kid can control himself with our food source bleeding right in front of him. If you don't ever tell her what's gonna happen, she will never know 'cos I don't wanna be on the wrong side of her for another decade".

My confusion must have been visible as he continued to explain. His tone playful and full of happiness.

"Let's just say that she seriously doesn't like anyone knowing about her 'tiny cleaning problem'", I burst out laughing when he started mimicking her voice. "She was all loud with her screamin' and yellin', tellin' me that I'd just 'destroyed my entire reputation with them'. I believed that her rep had been wrecked long before she'd ever met those women. She married me, what did she expect?"

Around a mile away, I could hear the Garrett's truck engine rumbling through the forest, rolling over the uneven ground quite easily. I didn't think that they would own a car since they just seemed to run everywhere but then I thought about their human activities. Charlotte and Peter went gambling once a month (Garrett told me) and Garrett was believed to sneak out whenever he had the chance to 'show the human girls what they didn't have' (that's what Peter had said anyway). It wasn't surprising for either of the boys to 'tattle tale' on each other. Everything they ever said about the other had to be telling a deep, supposedly dark secret. Most of the time, it was just stupid facts like the gambling and showing off.

"Honey, I'm home and I've brought a gift", the door swung open and I was hit with the delightful aroma of freshly drawn blood.

A hiss left my lips, followed by a frantic growl as I tried to hold myself back from attacking the injured human. My fists clenched and unclenched with every second that ticked by but I wouldn't allow any air to be brought into my body. No more smelling that sweet, delicious blood… I had to stand with control. Had to show how strong I could be.

Vincent, from my right, swept a pale hand over his head, pushing back the black curls that just hid his eyes slightly, like a thick curtain over. I could hear his breathing stay regular and steady, as if he was unfazed by the warm, red liquid pouring from the clean cut in a man's chest, just a few metres away. His eyes stayed staring straight ahead at the wall in front of us but I could tell by the strained set of his lips that he knew his food was right there. But he was controlling himself like no newborn should be able to. His control was better than mine, especially when I was only a day old.

"Vince, you know what this is right?" Peter gave him no time to answer before he was going on, "You see, this is your natural food source. You're supposed to want to kill this man and drink from him. His blood is your energy. It'll give you everythin' you need. More strength. More up-and-go. More of everything a predator needs to survive".

Growls rumbled from my chest but he went on.

"You'll feel more alive than you would ever. And you know the best thing? The taste is incredible, Vince. It's not like anythin' you'd have had before. Not sweets. Not ice-cream. It wouldn't be like you've ever tasted. Blood is our only food source. Human blood is only one option. You can drink from animals too", I flinched at that, "but it doesn't give you the same buzz. It'll satisfy the hunger for a little but being around humans most days can tamper with your need for blood so human blood is a safer option".

Vincent still hadn't moved. His hands kept running through his hair but his eyes still held that same spot on the wall.

"Gar, bring Mr Food Source in, please", Peter sang. "When you see this guy, Vincent, act the way you want to. Don't _hold back_".

I watched as Garrett dumped the limp body in the middle of the room, blood seeping on to the cold flooring before forming large puddles. The man, who looked like he had been in his late forties, smelled different from anyone else I had come into contact with before. It was a rotting kind of scent, almost like something was dying inside of him. Of course, he was dying right now but this was different. Inside him, maybe, his organs were destroying themselves.

"Act the way you want to, Vince. He's already dying".

So he was dying? Did he have a disease? Cancer? Grief filled me then. He was dying off of his own terms. He was probably leaving people, a family, that he loved so much. Did he have children? Grandchildren?

To my right, Vincent was rocking back and forth, whispering to himself that everything was okay. That this was just a nightmare. That this was all a huge mistake. A big problem. His hands gripped his hair, like my own hands had held my hair only days ago. I could hear the sobs building in his chest, getting louder and louder until they were full-blown, heart wrenching cries. Then, after listening to him for long enough, I reacted with rage.

_It was all a blur_.

One minute I was sitting beside Vincent, the next I was circling Peter, snarls ripping from my throat.

_My vision was turning red._

Teeth snapped, trying to get to his throat. Arms flew, trying to grab on to him. Legs kicked out, trying to get him on the ground. Fingers grabbed at fabric, shredding it when he pulled back. Eyes darted around, watching every one of his movement. I would admit it, Peter was an amazing fighter.

_I was being taken down._

Arms circled my waist, throwing me to the floor in one swift movement before I felt pressure above me. Something was seeping into the fabric on my back, warming the icy skin there a little. Someone was lightly tapping my face, bringing me out of my furious daze. When I could focus my vision, I came face-to-face with an extremely worried Garrett. His eyes flittered across my features, taking in the subtle changes that showed that I was slowly beginning to relax and come back to myself.

"Garrett", I mumbled, leaning my head into the crook of his neck.

He rubbed my arms soothingly, murmuring calming words as I felt the anger leave me until all I felt was a weakening defeat. Movement caught my attention and I saw Vincent standing there, venom tears filling his eyes as he took in my physical state.

"You nearly had him", his voice was sweet and carefree, getting a laugh from me.

His dimpled smile appeared brightly on his face. It was reassuring. It was cute and lovely and everything that a little boy should have in a curling lip. He was so much like someone I _knew_. Someone I had cared about.

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><p><em>So... if you would... review... I'd be extremely gratefuly...<em>

And, lastly, to everyone who has read _YOU PROMISED ME FOREVER_, I say a huge thank you. Also, to those who have added it to your FAVORITE STORY LIST:

**KEEP ON ROCKING LIKE MY DOOR KEEPS LOCKING!**

It has given me a good confidence boost so thanks **so** much.


	5. Chapter Four, Ah The Agony Of Approval

**DISCLAIMER: _Twilight does not belong to me. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer like _The Host_ does too. I just like to change it up a little, turn things the way I want them and maybe, just maybe, get some people to like the story that I can create._**

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><p>Chapter Four<p>

Ah, The Agony of Approval

Peter had rushed me off to get changed before his wife got home from her shopping trip, which was supposed to take her mind off of 'this horrible incident'. My blood-soaked shirt wouldn't go down too well with Charlotte so he feared she would take a limb or a few fingers away from him for a few days. Supposedly, that wouldn't be the first time. Vincent had been taken outside because when Garrett had asked to take him hunting, he had refused. His words were something along the lines of 'its murder and I would rather not do that'. So Garrett being Garrett, he asked if the boy would rather feed off of animals. To that, he agreed. Even though I hated him being anything like _them_, I wouldn't go against his wishes because I wasn't his parents. He had his own choices to make in life, even if Vincent was only young and didn't have much knowledge. Somehow, he knew what he wanted.

Pulling out the clothes that Charlotte insisted she just had to buy, I tried to choose out of the entire collection. Quickly, without a second thought, I threw the dresses and skirts in a pile, knowing that they wouldn't be worn… Ever? I wasn't a girly girl and my dislike for things that were _too _dressy got worse with each new style that came out. Next, I put any stylish or designer t-shirts into that pile. Then went the shorts, three-quarter lengths, cardigans and anything that showed just a little too much skin for my liking. That left me with jeans, t-shirts with quotes on them, thick, cotton joggies (my lazy clothes!) and a few hoodies. My choice of clothes seemed simple enough. It was comfortable and cheep. Easy.

At a gentle human pace, I pulled my chosen clothes on, trying not to rip them like many other pieces of fabric, before running a brush through my hair. I skipped the whole looking-at-myself-in-the-mirror thing and strode out of my room, down the stairs until I found Peter, who was scrubbing at the floor still. Mutters left his mouth until I skidded to a halt in front of him, a chuckle leaving my mouth loudly. His head snapped up, a scowl marring his features that only worsened when he saw my grin.

"You should be doin' this, midget, 'cos its not ma mess", Peter growled, sounding a _tiny_ bit peeved. "I have never cleaned a floor in my life!"

Muffling my laughs with my hand, I moved away from him just as he went to hit my shin. His crimson eyes narrowed before a large mocking smile planted itself on his lips. Peter went back to scrubbing with tough movements but he wasn't using too much strength to destroy the flooring, luckily. Sometimes I thought why would Charlotte love him? But every time I saw the two of them interacting with each other, I would remember how fate had a weird way of knowing which two people was a real match. Once or twice, it could be wrong but that was a very rare occurrence… Yet, it hurt the people involved in that relationship, the one that wouldn't truly work out.

"Char will be back in about an hour 'cos that's when the shows close, thankfully", he snorted with humour. "My bank account will be dead by the end of tonight".

I watched in absolute astonishment as Peter leapt to his feet, grabbed my wrist before yanking me towards the back door with fast strides. My ears were being filled by a quiet purring noise that seemed to be travelling from somewhere, maybe five miles off? Pulling myself and Peter to a halt, I shushed him quickly as soon as his mouth opened up to let words loose and I focused my attention on the faraway noise. It was like Garrett's truck but quieter, almost softer. The rumble was still there. A car? There wasn't a problem with the journey, from what I could hear, like Garrett's truck had had. Its wheels rolled a lot more smoothly along the ground, though, so by the sound of things, it wasn't Garrett's truck.

Confusion shadowed my face but Peter seemed to be ignoring me. His eyes had a distant look, as if he were seeing something far off in the distance. It reminded me of- No! It was completely new to me. No one I heard ever met was like Peter. He was unique in his little ways. That's why he was the way he was. He was nothing like _her_. He was truly _weird_ in an utterly _wonderful_ way.

"Bella, I need you to go into the barn", his voice was stern, not to be questioned. "I need you to stay in there until I come back out and get you, understand? Even if you hear something you don't like, do _not _come out".

Nodding, I shook off his grip on my arm before full out sprinting to the barn, where I quietly closed the door behind me. The horses didn't even startle at my sudden appearance, they just continued to munch on the hay that had been stuffed in the nests that hung on their stable doors. My feet took me to the ladder, where I climbed up to the overhead storage level, and my silence was slowly becoming louder with each second that went by.

That purring sound was creeping closer until I was sure that it was at the edge of the forest, just a few metres away from the house. Crawling over to the wooden panelled walls, I peeked through only to see splinters blocking my view. With a sigh of annoyance, I smirked when my pinkie finger squeezed through the thin gap, sliding down and snapping each sliver of wood with ease before I could look through again. This time, however, I saw a large, black Jeep rolling steadily over the sand-covered road. There was an almost silent conversation going on within the car, many different voices slipping in their opinion before another calmer voice interrupted.

"We're just going to check out what they are lying about", the voice said. "Then, if everything is fine and they want us to leave, we will. If things turn out differently, I think we could sort out the problem by ourselves".

It was familiar, that voice, but I couldn't place it in a memory or put it to a face. My mind reeled wildly as I played the tone and accent repeatedly through my brain, trying to get a recognisable name or image as an answer. As my mind went over it all, I watched the car halt before the doors were swung open in four swift movements. A slight breeze blew the scents that had leaked out the car in my directions, bringing familiar aromas that had being less intense in my human life.

There was no way that _they _were here. _They _just couldn't be here where I was. I was safe and happy, finally after so many traumas. _He_ had been one of them, that bronze-haired guy stepping out of the Jeep had turned my life into a disaster with one, _weak _moment. _Edward_-I'm-An-Idiot_-Cullen_. That man and his fake family had made sure that my entire being was killed, in some type of way. Now, I was just a stone, cold eighteen year old who didn't have any true family. In a way, I was alone. In many more ways, I was actually dead. Or dying.

"Smell that?" A pixie-like girl asked, sniffing the air, "It's like B-"

"Shut up, Alice!" Edward yelled, his threat ending with a quiet growl. "_She _is gone".

The rest of them, except Esme and Carlisle, stood awkwardly, shifting their feet before heading towards the front door. Alice shuffled her feet, muttering a few words under her breath, before dancing her way up the porch steps and over to the door, where Peter stood with a worried frown on his face. He _was _worried, I knew, but the real reason would stay a secret from that family for as long as possible.

"No phone call, no time for me to make apple pie", he joked. "Why? I just got a new recipe! Dang it all to hell, now I can't try my skills out on people who turn up on my doorstep unannounced".

Even though I could not see it, I could tell that Carlisle was giving Peter a guilty smile as Esme pulled him into a 'motherly' hug. Peter's eyes drifted in the direction of the barn but his attention was taken back when Jasper, surprisingly, yanked him into a 'man hug' or whatever men called it to make it sound less feminine. That brought a grin on to his face when an arm wrapped around Jasper's shoulders, his hand thumping his back, while the other was clasped together with his friend's. That kind of shocked me a little. Was Jasper the guy that Charlotte had said was like a brother to Peter? The one she didn't like all that much? Well, that made sense. Jasper's freaky power of reading emotions was a little creepy that could embarrass or annoy people who knew about it. For the normal humans, they just got laughed at for feeling jealous or envious over the Cullen's good looks and easy-to-like personalities.

It was then that I heard the recognisable laughter of a little boy who wasn't even supposed to exist. And I knew things were going to get a lot worse.

OOO

I watched in pure horror as the four Cullen men crouched in the direction of the giggling sound, looks of fierce protectiveness crossing their pale features. My hands clamped over my mouth when a skipping child came into my line of sight with Garrett hopping around him, both of them chuckling and joking around like the world was a safe place. But for Vincent, it wasn't safe. For the Cullen clan, it wasn't safe either. Both of these sides were against each other. And how could a small child win against trained adults?

"Uncle Pete! Uncle Pete!" Vincent sang joyfully, turning around only to freeze when he saw the defensive vampires ready to attack.

His face fell, the cheerful look exchanging with an expression of terror. Vincent's child-like appearance didn't suit the sadness that morphed his features into, what I could imagine to be, the sky on a grey, stormy night. Grief and fearful. Garrett gripped his shoulders, pulling him behind his body for protection as he fell into a crouch too. Peter was pushing his way through the Cullen's wall-like stance until he was able to face them, hands in the air as if he were surrendering.

"You have to understand, please", Peter told them. "This child isn't like the ones you have heard of, or the ones you experienced, Carlisle. Vincent is controlled, especially for a newborn and an immortal child. He's different".

Garret took up the conversation then, "We tested it earlier today. His control is really astounding. I brought in a bleeding man and the child did not touch him. Actually, only a few hours ago, he decided to keep an animal only diet and he only reached age five days before he was turned".

That seemed to shock them. They dropped their stances but still kept a wary eye on the boy. Edward, though, kept his posture tense and ready to pounce at any type of threat. Shoulders squared, arms spread, face hardened. He was had to be a weird type of soldier or something. Had Vincent really only turned five? Garrett must have asked during the hunting trip.

"How do you know that you can trust the…brat?" My ex questioned, casting a glare towards Vincent. "Obviously, his sire could have trained him to stay away from human blood? What if this is a plan to get to you?"

My anger was bubbling. How dare he? How _dare_ he! All of my instincts were telling me to protect the tiny boy who was quivering from fear then. His hands were tangled in his curly hair, yanking and pulling in frustration as Edward rattled on about how he could be a 'spy' of some sorts. What type of films was that guy watching now? Crime? His imagination was really something else.

"Eddie, seriously, what?" Garrett spluttered, "He's a kid. Nothing more, nothing less. You want to meet his sire? She'll be out here in five… four… three…"

I leapt from the upper level of the barn, landing softly on the ground and bolted out of the barn, leaving the horses to eat their hay in peace. When I was out in the light, my skin sparkled dimly as the sun shone through the clouds for a second before it disappeared once again. Multiple gasps sounded from up ahead but I didn't let it bother me. If they wanted to act surprised and shocked at my appearance, they could. It really didn't matter. All of their reactions would be different:

Carlisle would act concerned in a fatherly way.

Esme would be overcrowding.

Alice would be all hugs and talking about fashion disasters.

Jasper would be all haunted.

Rosalie, well, she'd be bitchy as usual.

Emmett would probably make a joke and try to lighten the mood.

And Edward… I didn't know how he would react.

As soon as I was beside Garrett, Vincent was scurrying towards me before practically crawling up my side until his arms could wrap around my neck. His head hid in the crook of my neck as shivering sobs wracked through his little body, making my frozen heart crush and tighten. Garrett threw his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into his side before rubbing Vincent's back comfortingly.

"I believe you know Isabella Swan, Vincent's sire", Peter mumbled, trying to sound a bit positive about the situation. "Edward, I think, changed her not so long ago?"

The family's facial expressions were mixed. As I had thought Carlisle, Esme, Jasper and Rosalie looked ready to either hug, stay back or yell and scold for my 'mistakes'. Alice was hopping excitedly from each foot, a huge grin showing her happiness (that was probably fake) at seeing me again. Edward looked shocked, to put it simply. His face had fallen from its furious appearance and his shoulders were sagging. Emmett's reaction wasn't what I expected. For the first time ever in my presence, Emmett looked serious. With a tight lipped smile and calculating eyes, I wasn't sure if that look suited him or not. Actually, it was frightening to think what could have been going through his mind at that moment.

"Bella?" Edward whispered, taking a step closer to me.

"Don't even bother", I said coldly, hiking Vincent higher up on my hip. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say".

"But-"

Anger boiling.

"No! I'm telling you to shut up, _please_".

Still boiling.

"Bella, you-"

Nearly boiling over.

"Edward, I'll give you a chance to close that annoying gob of yours now before I tear it from your face", my tone was icy. "Think wisely".

He did think and came to the right decision, so my rage slowly decreased as he began stepping back with a slight pout on his lips. No one over age ten should pout, ever. It didn't look right on anyone older than ten, unless that person was unnaturally cute, which Edward was not. See Alice, who looked partially like a child anyway, could pout all she wanted and get away with it. Edward couldn't. Vincent was cute enough to pout every minute of the day.

"Bella, my daughter", Carlisle smiled gently.

Shaking my head, I let out a humourless chuckle, "I only have one father and he believes me to be dead. Last time I heard, which was a day before my change, Charlie was going to propose to Sue Clearwater but that might have changed. You know how depression can change people, right, Carlisle?"

He looked miserable when my words hit him.

"Don't be too harsh on Carlisle, Bella, dear. He was only helping our son", Esme slipped in front of her husband, placing a hand on his chest. "We only wanted what was best for our family".

"Oh, yeah? And he just called me his daughter. Isn't a daughter usually part of the family? What about what was best for me? Your supposed 'daughter'? Changing me then leaving me alone to kill three hikers before I finally came to my senses and ran? That's what was best for me, you say? How lovely!"

In my frustration, my fingers flexed, clenching and unclenching tightly in Vincent's jumper as those truthful words escaped my mouth. This was me telling them how I felt. They were full of lies, that may have seemed little at the time but they continued to build up until those little lies became a stack of lies. Throughout my entire life, I had been faced with obstacles. Some of them were less challenging than others but they all led to the same end. Someone hurting me. Whether it was my mother and her free spirit nature. Or my father and his miniscule shows of emotion. Or the Cullen's leaving me to face my new life by myself. I was always getting hurt by someone.

"Isa, calm down, hun", Garrett mumbled, squeezing me further into his side. "Vincent doesn't need you to lose your temper now".

Vincent's hands moved from his hair to my face, pushing me to face him by pulling at my cheeks. There was the dimpled smile. It soothed the beast within me, sedating the anger that it fed off of. Slowly, a slight curve of my lips appeared and I took a deep, unneeded breath.

"I'm sorry for my outburst", I muttered, "but it is how I feel so, really, I shouldn't even apologise for it".

With that said; I shrugged out of Garrett's hold and pushed by Esme and Carlisle, Alice and Edward, Jasper and Rosalie until I came to Emmett. His face was still serious but I tried not to focus on that too much. The way that his gold eyes read peered into my own like he could see my soul and could understand it completely. All of the grief and anger, the pain. Everything. But, instead of worrying about that, I nodded in greeting before beginning to go by him until I felt his steel-like arm clamp around my waist.

"I need to ask the kid a question", he raised a brow, running a hand nervously through his dark, curly hair. "Vincent, you got a surname?"

The child nodded against my neck, "I do, yeah. Ma daddy was a doctor, Dr McCarty, I think?"

Emmett nodded like he had expected this all along while I stood there, stunned into silence. He was Vincent McCarty… If I remember correctly, Edward had told me the story that went with each family member. Emmett's story had been one of pure idiocy and brutality. Emmett McCarty had been attacked by a bear after stupidly thinking he could take it down by himself. Emmett Cullen had been created when Rosalie found him and ran him back to Carlisle to be changed. So the surname was a match.

The appearance was definitely a huge match. They both had black, curly hair. I believe when Emmett was human he had had blue eyes and so did Vincent. The dimples were identical. To me, Emmett and Vincent were a mirror image of each other, only if Emmett was younger or Vincent older. But they still had the same features.

"So, kid, I think you're my great-great nephew", he chuckled, messing Vincent's curls. "Your granddaddy was my little brother's son, Vincent Senior".

"Really?" The boy in my arms queried.

Emmett smiled a slightly sad smile, "Yeah, my lil' bro is your daddy's granddad".

OOO

See how sometimes everyone is silent for an extremely long time? And everything becomes seriously awkward? Well, that's what happened as soon as everyone was sat down in the living room, twiddling their thumbs nervously. Vincent was curled into my side, his hand gripping my own whenever he felt someone's eyes focus on his tiny form. My arm was tightly wound around him, protecting him from all of the other threats within the room. On the other side of Vincent sat Emmett, surprisingly. He was glaring off into space, emotions flashing across his face with an amazing amount of speed. Across from him was Rosalie, who looked ready to kill me then steal Vincent to make him her own son. But I was staking a claim, as a sire Vincent was my responsibility. I would be the one watching him for the rest of eternity. That was my job from now on.

"Bella", Alice skipped in front of me, "I would like to apologise for my family's leaving you and their reactions towards the… towards Vincent. I completely understand that you need time to forgive me but it will happen, I know you see".

"Yeah, she knows", Peter mimicked her skips before swallowing loudly, "but, Bella, I will know the truth when it actually happens. Her 'future-flashes' aren't always to be trusted".

I watched as the pixie's face turned cold, "I saw Bella as a vampire and I was correct".

The man, who I saw as a brother, chuckled, "Yeah and from what Jasper informed me after that little mishap, you also saw her with Eddie boy. So answer me this, Malice, why isn't my sister with _that_ now?"

Everyone in the room, the Cullens and my new family, froze at hearing that. Where had Peter gotten 'Malice' from? Thinking back to when Charlotte had stated her dislike for Jasper, I instantly knew where that nickname as from. Charlotte Whitlock, that horrid woman. Alice was stock-still, her face morphed into a look of complete shock as her arms hung limply by her sides. A little bit behind her stood Jasper, who looked really confused. Carlisle and Esme were watching the argument with looks that I would imagine a referee would wear while watching a sports match. Edward's face was scrunched up in puzzlement. Rosalie didn't look bothered. Emmett _and _Garrett were holding in their laughter. And, well, I was trying not to jump up and cheer Peter on.

"Excuse me, Peter, but that's my nickname for the little pixie", Charlotte's voice drifted in from the porch, where I could hear her slipping off her shoes. "And I would like to call her it, thank you very much".

He sniggered, "Of course, dear wife of mine".

In walked Charlotte, her hair pinned away from her face and many shopping bags in hand. She dropped them to hand Peter his bank card and I watched as he held it to his chest, shushing it as if it was a crying child. His card was probably going down Death Drive.

"Ah, the Cullens, what a… pleasure, I suppose", her voice was snippy, almost as if she wanted the conversation over with as soon as possible. "Why are you here so early, may I ask?"

Esme leapt to her feet then, arms open in preparation for a hug but Charlotte was already sitting by my feet, playing with a loose thread in my jeans. That caused the Cullen Mother Duck's face to slip into a frown. Ha, Cullen Mother Duck! That was a good one, even if I do say so myself.

"We came to visit Jasper's extended family", she said, sitting stiffly beside her husband who wrapped an arm around her slim shoulders.

"But I am sure my husband made it clear that we didn't want any visitors for at least another week", Charlotte smirked. "Was there a reason that made you want to snoop into our lives?"

"We were worried about you", Jasper rubbed his temples, "and we have every right to be".

Charlotte's expression went from smug to scary, "We _are_ adults, Mr Whitlock-Cullen-Hale! Peter isn't a little boy who needs checking up on and even if he was, I am his wife and mate so I am the one that will protect him from everything out there".

Then there was the return of the awkward silence. It swept in, stealing all of our voices as each pair of eyes swivelled around the room, looking for something to look at that wasn't another person. My own orbs were fixated on Vincent's pale hand wrapped around mine, squeezing in a rhythm that went with his unneeded breaths, which were slow and precise. His eyes were closed as he tried to block out the arguing going on around him. It was cute, of course, but all I could feel was worry for his life. He was only a child and always would be. Mind and body were going to freeze in the state of a kid. And worried me. _A lot_.

"He's so young", Emmett suddenly whispered, running a large hand through his own dark curls. "Too young to be brought into this world".

Feeling like he was blaming me, I turned my narrowed eyes on to him, "Would you rather he died in a house full of junkies? Are you not happy to meet someone from your family's line? 'Cos if so, Emmett, tell me and I will see if I can go back in time and just put him out of his misery. It would be best for you, obviously".

Shock showed on his strong features when his eyes found mine. It was like a conversation had just passed between us. Emmett seemed to be telling me that that wasn't the way he had meant it and I knew that was probably the case. Yet, I couldn't help but feel as if something was missing from somewhere. But I didn't know what.

_And that bugged the hell out of me_…

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><p><em><strong>Well, another chapter up and another feeling of accomplishment has filled me to the brim. I'd like to, once again, thank all of you out there who have been reading my stories (<strong>not only You Promised My Forever but We Were Marked, With You Forever and Proving Myself Worthy**) because it really does give me more confidence. **_

_**Today, actually, some friends of mine found out I have started writing Fanfiction and they sounded quite proud of me. It sounds stupid but I aim for approval, not only from my family and friends but from anyone who reads my writing. So if you can review, please do. Thanks!**_


	6. Chapter Five, Sunlight Glows Like

**Disclaimer: _Don't own Twilight. _**

_Thank you to everyone of the readers who have reviewed You Promised Me Forever, it means a lot to me, so again Thank You Very Much. _

_I hope you enjoy this chapter that I finally uploaded! This could be said to be a little bridge (even though a relationship begins) because it is shorter than most of the rest but still, I hope you all like it!_

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><p>Chapter Five<p>

Sunlight Glows Like The Star It Is

A full day had sped by since Alice had tried to apologise, Charlotte had claimed the nickname 'Malice', I had went all crazy on Emmett and Peter had hushed his bank card while holding it to his chest, comforting it. Vincent and I had stayed in the barn all night, watching as the two horses slept quietly, our conversations low-key and secret, so that was where we sat, waiting until the sun lit the sky. His head was leaning against my arm as he played happily with small sticks of straw that littered the ground. How could kids be so easily amused? I remember, faintly, that my childhood was spent looking after my mum, waiting for her to turn up at home, cooking dinner for her at a young age. My dad was not the same but they had a lot in common. I hardly ever got to see them.

"Guys, c'mon you've gotta see this", Peter said excitedly as he appeared, dragging us out of the barn and into the early morning air. "This is gonna be awesome!"

I felt a smile tug at my lips as he bent down, scooped up Vincent and jogged off to stand by Charlotte and Garret, who were sat on the porch steps. Garrett was chuckling wildly, leaning back on his elbows and watching as the woman I knew he considered his sister spoke, muttering words like 'Malice' and 'manipulative' from what I could hear. Her hair was let loose, waving across her shoulders and she shook her head quickly, grinning widely at the man to her left. They didn't even notice a smirking Peter, who kept giggling madly and childishly, until he had practically dumped Vincent on Garrett's lap then sprawled himself over Charlotte's outstretched legs.

"Ah, dear husband of mine, you always know ways to crush me", she groaned, flicking his ear hard before giggling, "and it bloody well hurts".

His only answer to that was to dig his elbow deeper into her thigh, chuckling to himself when she began to batter his shoulders. As I had said before, they were a weird but wonderful couple. A very odd pairing. They just seemed to…go together. Like a set of shoes. Okay, that sounded stupid but it proves my point. They go with each other. Anyone would be lucky to have a relationship like theirs, I was sure, and if I ever found one, I would never let it go.

Moving with grace that I was still surprised to have, I sat beside Garrett and wound my arm around him before laying my head on his shoulder. Leaning towards me, his arm wrapped around my shoulders and squeezed me tightly against his side, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead. See, this was a relationship I could deal with. Sibling-like. Garrett was a good man, I mean, what girl wouldn't want a guy who killed bad guys? It would be like dating a handsome murderer who was trying to be good but needed to drink the blood of his victims to get satisfaction. _Why had I rambled about that?_

"The sun's gonna be comin' up soon", Peter drawled before Charlotte pecked his lips, "and I wanna see it with my beautiful wife".

The 'beautiful wife' in question giggled as her husband snuggled down beside her, tucking his arm around her waist and a smirk forming on his lips. It wasn't long until the sky started to glow a purple-pink colour from the sun beginning to peek over the tops of the trees. Vincent began to mumble about the colours he could see when Garrett asked him to list them all off for him. He sat half on my knee and half on Garrett's, counting each colour on his hands until he used both hands them moved on to mine.

"I can see a bit of red, too", he nodded, his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in concentration. "Just like you're eyes, Mummy, so very pretty".

If my heart hadn't already been frozen, it would have gone still at that moment. And I could tell that everyone else had gone still as well, turning to look at the little boy perched between two very shocked vampires, one of them being me. His tiny hands gripped one of my own and started to count off the sounds that could be heard in a short distance of where we sat: birds singing, animals rustling around the shrubs, conversations that were going on inside the house. The list went on but I was still stunned by his 'mummy' thing. Peter was gazing up at me, a frown furrowing his features, while Charlotte was silently clapping her hands in joy, muttering about parenthood for eternity.

You know how when something happens that you never thought would happen and you never actually had a thought like that? It's as if you did not even think about that type of thing happening at all. Well, Vincent calling me 'mummy' was like a thought like that. Shock was all I felt within myself. Along with a little happiness that could be felt growing within me.

"Why's Uncle Em and Rosalie fighting?" Vincent asked softly, staring up into my face with wide orange-pink eyes that stood out from his pale skin. "Did something bad happen?"

Listening until I found the two vampires in question, I focused on their conversation that _did _sound like arguing. They were standing in the living room, alone, and I could hear the snapping of an object, maybe a chunk of wood or something like that.

"He's your nephew and _she's _the one looking after him", Rosalie hissed. "Why is that?"

I could hear Emmett sigh before he said, "She's his sire, Rose. She's got a bond with him that I'll never get, plus I don't think I'd be ready to put up with a kid".

"But I would help you", she whined loudly, "and we'd raise him as our own".

"Is that what's bugging you? That you don't have a kid?" He snapped, "'Cos if so, get used to him calling Bella 'mummy' 'cos I'm sure it's gonna happen a lot more".

There was the sound of shoes tapping against the floor before the front door swung open and clattered off of the wall behind me. Hearing the unneeded breathing that could only belong to one person, I elbowed Garrett lightly, telling him to move up a bit then I scooted over with him, making room. A large, solid body fell down beside me and another sigh left him.

"Morning", Emmett gave a small wave before looking to the boy in my lap. "Hiya, little man! Have a good non-sleeping night?"

Vincent giggled, climbing from my lap to Emmett's and began yapping on about the colours and sounds that could be seen and heard in the morning. His arms waved around quickly, flashing in my vision before he was pointing off into the distance, saying something about 'birdies flying into the sun's glow'. At the mention of the sun, I glanced over at it. Well, Peter was right. The view was awesome. With the different cheerful colours, the sky was such an amazing sight. Yellows, oranges, reds and pinks were all swiped across the usually blue sky.

"Did you know that the sun's a huge star?" Vincent smiled, nodding along with his words, "Ma daddy told me".

Looking down at him with pure admiration, I noticed how happy he looked explaining things to us all. If Vincent was still able to grow up, he probably would have gotten a job as a teacher of some sort or someone with the need for giving explanations. But I really wanted to know where he had learnt all of this information. It obviously wasn't where we found him. And he spoke about his father but I couldn't help wondering where this man was because, surely, Vincent's dad would be searching for him. The police would know, it would be on the news and there would be search parties. Unless there was something else to his little life story.

"Vinnie", Emmett muttered almost silently, "where is your daddy?"

His chubby, boyish face scrunched up then, into a frown of puzzlement. He stared downwards for a good while, as if he were shoving through the memories and was trying to find the one that would answer the question. As time slowly went on, it was like pain was filling his eyes as realisation hit him.

"Daddy went away", Vincent answered. "He was taken one night by a big car that screamed. Ma daddy's friend took me away, too, but I never seen Daddy again".

"Where were you taken to?"

He shrugged, "He took me to that big house that you found me in, Mummy. The people there weren't very nice. They hit me and burned me a little but I knew someone would help me and _you did_ 'cos I knew it", a smile broke out on his face, brightening the world in my eyes.

Feeling my frozen heart clench, I grinned down at the curly-haired kid and wrapped my arms around his small but strong frame. I could feel venom stinging my eyes and out of habit, my hand reached up to brush away any falling tears before they could be noticed. The sound of people stepping away made me turn around to watch as Peter, Charlotte and Garrett moved into the house, giving me a gentle smile with comforting eyes. As the door closed behind them, I felt a sob erupt from my throat and I hid my face in the crook of Vincent's neck. _Why was I crying?_ I didn't know if it was because of Vincent's destroyed childhood or if it was still because he had called me his 'mummy', I just wasn't sure. The sobs kept coming and soon I was sure, if I had been human, my throat would be burning quite a bit at this moment.

An arm wound around my waist, tugging me away from the child, who might be seriously frightened of my now, and placed me beside a muscular body. Looking up, Emmett's golden eyes met my red ones, conveying how grateful he felt that I was the one looking after Vincent with one look. My own eyes were still stinging so I closed them and let Emmett pull me against him until I was practically hidden under his thick arm. Small fingers intertwined with my own and squeezed and I couldn't help but let out another sob at the little gesture of comfort.

Vincent McCarty was a _real _star. Better than the sun and any other star.

OOO

Hours passed but the three of us didn't move, letting the sun hit off of our skin and watched the sparkles come off of our bodies. Emmett had stayed completely silent, allowing the suns warmth to soak into his rock solid skin as I tried to hide from the light. Vincent was in awe as he stroked a tiny finger down Emmett's cheek, noticing how their skin was a perfect match with each other. His dimpled smile made an appearance before it turned into a full-blown, beaming grin. Giggles escaped his parted lips and I let a smile curve my lips a little. _Such a happy kid. Almost too happy…_

"Glitter", Vincent yelled, clapping his hand against Emmett's cheek, "is so cool, right? And we have it all over us, too".

A series of booming laughs came from Emmett as Vincent sniggered sweetly and I could feel his chest vibrate at the strength of his chuckles. My smile grew at the sounds of their happiness. Fate worked in weird ways, didn't it? Meeting Vincent, changing him, the Cullens appearing and then finding out Emmett and Vincent were related. That was a lot of things to happen in a short length of time. Time had flown by. Everything went by quickly.

"Vince, do you wanna go an' hunt?" A voice called out.

Surprisingly, it was Jasper who had appeared in front of us. His honey blonde waves were tucked behind his ears and a broad grin stretched across his face and there was a sudden rush of joy that floated through me. He was up to something, the angel-look-alike demon person. But what? Feeling my mind go as three hundred mile per hour, I watched as Vincent took a wary step towards the blonde vampire before outstretching a hand towards him. I watched with worried eyes as Jasper bent down and scooped the child up into his arms, giving me a wink before darting off into the forest and disappearing out of sight. Eyes narrowing, I clenched my hands into fists around Emmett's t-shirt, allowing myself to slowly get to my feet and move in the direction they had left in.

"Tut tut, Bella", Emmett chuckled happily from behind me, grabbing my wrist. "Leave them be, Jazz just wants to get to know him. Get inside the kid's head a little".

"Why not leave that to Edward?" I snarled, swinging my free arm backwards, only to have that held in a tight grip as well. "Surely, he's already seen inside the boy's mind?"

The look on his face was severe as he pulled me closer to him, bending at the knee slightly so he was closer to my height. A sneer was fixed on my face until Emmett moved a hand and nipped my bottom lip, pulling it out and taking a step away from me but forcing me to follow. His grip on got tighter when I fought against him, causing me to whimper at the pain in my lip.

"Ow!" I yelped, trying to wriggle free. "Emmett_, let go_!"

Snorting, he continued to take long strides away from me without a second thought. My eyes narrowed as I noticed where we were heading: Towards the Cullens Jeep. Feeling my top lip curl into a snarl and my fury heighten, I quickly made a plan for my escape. _Now, why did that make me feel stupid? _When Emmett moved to take another step backwards, I shoved my body backwards and away from him and kicked my right leg higher than my left. The sound, a loud _crack, _echoed throughout the area when my right foot found purchase just under Emmett's jaw, in line with his chin. His head snapped backwards and with it, his hands let go of my wrist and bottom lip.

"You're a _little _cow!" He shouted before beaming, "And you're _amazingly _good at that!"

Still frowning as he grinned, I crouched down, low to the ground, and watched when Emmett rubbed his slightly cracked jaw, sealing it shut with a bit of venom on his finger. Well, that hadn't gone as I had planned. He was supposed to be in pain like I had been.

"Emmett, are you okay?" Rosalie's tone was stern, not an ounce of caring in it, as she stormed towards me, eyes never leaving my face.

"I'm all good, Rosie!"

She didn't acknowledge his answer as she stood in front of me, hands on her hips and a scowl marring her unnaturally beautiful face. Her eyes are blazing, almost like bubbling, liquid gold that would burn anyone who touched it. The downward curve of her lips tells me that the hatred she has felt for me over the time we've know each other has increased a lot. It didn't bother me like it used to and for that, I was grateful for my changed body. Being a vampire and fighting Rosalie would be easier now. If I was still human, she'd killed me with one touch. That was a scary thought.

My lips curled and I took a step closer to her, "You're trying to threaten me, Rosalie, but it isn't working, honey. You want to scare me, bring a lighter and burn my body before my head 'cos I'd freak at that".

I must have offended her in some way as a growl left her clenched teeth, rumbling through the air until it reached my sensitive ears. Watching as her arm stretched back before throwing her hand forwards, I ducked just as her fingers were about to grip into my hair. Using as much force as I could muster, I swung my leg in a wide circle and hooked it around her legs, yanked her ankles closer to me and let her fall to the ground with a heavy _thump_. A feeling of being proud of myself flicked on like a light switch as I saw her pink, skinny jeans were dirtied by the dusty sand-covered ground.

"_Bitch_", she shrieked, leaping to her feet and jumping for my once more.

Again, she ended up on the floor but this time I had thrown her over my shoulder like it was nothing, which, technically, it was because of my strength and all. It was when Emmett was dragging her away, arms locked around her waist as Rosalie went absolutely mental, that I noticed Peter and Garrett at the living room window, faces pressed against the glass, smirking so smugly. They waved like manically, making me beam, but then they disappeared, Charlotte and Esme's faces taking their places. From the look of Charlotte's face, I knew she wasn't happy at all and by the look on Esme's, I knew they had argued lately.

_God, life wasn't getting any better, now, was it?_

OOO

I was surprised to find out what Esme and Charlotte had been arguing about but it made a lot of sense for their very controlling personalities; one more controlling than the other, though. Vincent's new room needed to be decorated and they both had very different ideas. Esme wanted dinosaurs on one wall and zoo animals on the other. Charlotte wanted to have a racing car theme around the entire room, complete was a car shaped bed, which would never be used, and carpet coloured like an actual road. Don't get me wrong, both ideas were good but I knew Vincent would want his own say in it as it _was _going to be his bedroom.

So I stood between the two women and told them exactly that. Vincent would want to have his say and they would listen to it. Peter _and _Carlisle agreed quietly, fearing the punches their wives would throw their way and Garrett nodded, agreeing with me as I continued to explain that they had good ideas but Vincent didn't seem interested in that kind of stuff. He was geekier, almost. With a love of knowledge and learning. So, they promised to ask him when Jasper brought him back and I was hoping that was soon because I couldn't deal with the glaring that was going on between the two motherly women.

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><p><em><strong>So relationships are blooming! Wow... If you haven't already noticed, I don't LIKE Rosalie but that's only because of Emmett (quite sad, really).<strong>_

_**I was wondering what you readers are hoping to see in this fanfic. I've had some ideas, like: Death, Volturi, Werewolves? So tell me what you want to see in a review or PM me. That would be amazingly helpfuly. **_

_**Another thing, I got a review recently giving an opinion on how Emmett and Bella will end up together. Should Emmett leave Rosalie? Or should Rosalie leave Emmett?**_

_**Do you love, like, dislike or hate this fanfic? I'm just asking randomly so... **_


	7. Chapter Six, You've Got Something Up

**Don't own Twilight.**

_Right, so I uploaded (crowd is filled with aaaahhh and oooohhh) and I'm not really surprised, even though I said I would be revising until my exam but hey ho! This just came to me easily so I decided to hurry up and write it then I could give you wonderful people another chapter to read. See, I'm a nice person (trying to look innocent)._

_ Well, I hope you readers enjoy this one._

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><p>Chapter Six<br>You've Got Something Up Your Sleeve

The high-pitched chiming sound of a young boy's giggles made me sprint towards the front door, throw it open gently and scoop the little boy into my arms, hugging him tightly. His face was snuggled right into the crook of my neck, arms around my shoulders but my attention was on the grinning blonde across from me. Jasper was practically glowing with happiness as he stuck his thumb up and winked at me before dodging by me, chuckling as he went inside. He was chatting with Alice as soon as he walked in, telling her how amazing Vincent was at hunting animals. It was easy to hear the excitement in Jasper's voice as he told his wife about Vincent's technique and the way he was able to be a metre away without being detected by any animal. By the way he was reacting; you would think it was Christmas for a child or something.

"Jazz's so funny", Vincent murmured. "He kept changing my feelings! It was so awesome! I like him, Mummy. He's a very funny man".

My lips parted as laughter bubbled out, tinkling into the air. Of course, I would spend ages worrying about him hunting with Jasper and the kid would be perfectly fine. Suppose that's what real, caring mother's do. Maybe, this was hard to even think, I was just too protective over him. Like a lioness would protect her cub. Or something along those lines. As his sire, I should probably stop stating that fact and just say 'as his mother figure', my protective instinct was almost completely animal because in a way, he was actually my child. Just not by blood but by venom.

"What the hell!" A voice roared from inside the house, causing me to crouch low and hold Vincent closer into my body. "That little piece of utter… uselessness!"

In seconds, Edward was out the door and storming across the porch towards us, snarling like a savage. Going on instinct, I growled as I slowly, cautiously, stepped backwards until my back hit the wooden fencing around the porch. Watching the angered vampire from the corner of my eye, I gripped the fence in one hand, never loosening my clutch on Vincent, and hopped over it, landing lightly on my toes. That was when the door was tore off its hinges and out bounded four male vampires. Emmett, Garrett, Jasper and Peter shoved by Edward, leapt over the fence and quickly formed a wall around Vincent and me. They each let out a low rumble, causing the 'enemy', if you could call Edward that, to step closer. Another thing that I noticed was that his eyes were jet black and it wasn't from hunger. Fury, rage, anger…

"Eddie, c'mon now", Emmett laughed… nervously? "Vinnie's only a kid and Bell's just, well, she's Bella so c'mon, man, behave now".

The enraged man yelled something I couldn't make out but I knew he wasn't listening to his 'adopted brother' and probably wasn't even thinking straight. But I knew, by the focus point of his eyes, that I wasn't who he wanted to hurt. No, he was heading for Vincent. And that just wasn't right!

"Vincent, hun, can you tell me what you be thinking of before Edward came out?" I tried to keep my voice from turning into a snarl or growl but it was already beginning to shake slightly.

He glanced over at the bronze-haired man before answering with a small smile, "No, I don't wanna say it to you. It's em-bar-ra– embarrassing".

I was all for everyone having their secrecy but this was when his life was in danger.

"But, buddy, you have to tell me so I understand why Edward has reacted this way".

His smile slipped a little but then it came back, full force, "I thought that we could be a family. Me, you and Uncle Emmett. We could live happily ever after with Uncle Pete, Auntie Char and Uncle Gar".

Just as he said the words, a pained yell came from Edward as he ran at the barrier the other four had created around us. His hands fisted in the air, trying to grab the small boy, but they weren't going to let him through, ever. Peter and Jasper seemed to share a silent agreement, both nodding, before they each grabbed one of Edward's arms and sunk their teeth into his forearms. The scream that ripped from his throat would haunt me for some time, I was sure of it. It shrieked through the air and the volume increased the longer he went, causing Vincent to cover his ears and cower into my neck.

"What's going on?" Carlisle's voice floated towards us from where he stood in the destroyed doorway. "What's wrong with Edward?"

"Oh, ya' know, a lil' bit of everythin'", Peter shrugged, sniggering, "and he's found out that Vinnie, here, wants his own family that only includes a certain amount of people".

The leader of the Cullen coven nodded curtly, grabbed his first son's arm and dragged him away from the house and from us. We all watched, stunned, as Edward struggled against Carlisle, snapping his jaws with loud _clicks_ and kicking his legs out wildly. Vincent, the cheeky little mite, stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry in their direction before giving a high-five to Peter and Garrett. His smirking grin held so much mischief and attitude that I felt compelled to pass him to one of the guys, knowing they'd understand the wild side in him better than I ever could. After all, boys were boys and girls just didn't have the right organ to understand what boys said because, well, _they were boys_.

"Eh, Bella?" Peter called out just as I was walking towards the wrecked door, "We're goin' out tonight, ya know? To a bar that normal folk drink alcohol in? And you're comin' with us, alright? No questions about that 'cos it's a fact! Vinnie's gonna stay with Char and you, me, the guys, Rosalie…?" He glanced over at Emmett, who nodded, "Are going to go test your control in a crowded place with quite a few blood bags wondering about".

Giving a worried nod, I forced a smile on to my lips, "Sure, whatever you say, boss!"

Peter beamed, "Excellent!"

Yelling cut off what I was about to say and everyone's eyes immediately scanned the tree line, watching as Edward came stomping out with his face hard as stone (excuse the pun). Not far behind him, leaning against a tree, stood Carlisle who had a look of pure agony on his handsome fatherly face. If I wasn't completely swallowed up by annoyance, I would have felt sympathy for the man but there were things that I blamed him for. He didn't deserve my pity or my sympathy. _He deserved pain. A lot of it. He could suffer through this_.

OOO

"So where do you think he's away to, anyway?"

"I don't know. Alaska with that other cover, you know?"

"Nah, he wouldn't go up there 'cos Tanya would practically jump him. She's a weird woman, that one, I'll tell you that".

"Back to Forks then? It's a place he knows and that's where he met me so it'd be easier for him to play I-So-Happy-To-Pretend-My-Ex-Girlfriend-Still-Loves-Me. It could be possible".

Charlotte shook her head, laughing, "No, too much pain there. Maybe he's gone to Italy, ya know? To see the Volturi? You know how he's all depressed and then he'll ask them to kill him like that would make it all better! Bloody freak that he is".

My eyes widened and I nodded frantically, "That makes sense".

All of our excitement drained away from us when a screech came from upstairs, where Esme had been pacing only moments ago. Her light footsteps sounded as she moved down the upstairs hallway and ran her way down the stairs to stand before the two of us. Face like the kid who got her puppy taken away and her hands trembling, I knew, obviously, that she had heard out entire conversation about Edward's whereabouts. Yeah, Eddie left. _Big whoop_!

"My son's left and you two think it's funny to make jokes about that sort of thing? Shame on you!" She was yelling but it had no effect on me or Charlotte. It was as if she was whispering, really.

Charlotte shrugged indifferently at the woman's accusations, looking down at her fingernails, she gave a quiet giggled, "You're 'son' is a pig! A control freak! A weirdo! A stupid emo! I could think of more but really, thinking about your 'son' makes me feel so ill".

"Edward wouldn't go to the Volturi to ask to be killed because of _her_. She's just a child who doesn't know when she's got something as good as him. You don't deserve him, Bella".

If I had been human, many of my ribs would've cracked from the amount of giggles that erupted from my throat, drifting into the air like specks of dust. My fingers wrapped around my ankles as I rocked back and forth hysterically, letting the peals of laughter leave my mouth. Not to my surprise, Charlotte joined in. Her eyes narrowed, causing a few crinkles to appear at the corner of them, like crows feet. We were like teenage girls giggling over their first crush.

And Esme _was _a disapproving mother.

"Horrid!" She shrieked, gliding away from us and out of sight.

That only caused more laughter to rumble within us.

"Did you see her face?"

"Never laughed so much in my entire life and I've had an extremely long life so far".

"She's a total mother duck".

"She's a mother fu-"

Peter strode by the door, carrying the new door, "Language, oh little wife of mine"

"You better shut up too, Whitlock".

I smirked, "Char, that doesn't exactly work when you're a Whitlock, too".

"Oh yeah because being the only Swan isn't lonely".

"Well, you're related to Malice and, I suppose, Eddie, too, through marriage".

"Do not remind me of that fact, hun".

"Oh but aren't you related to Rosa-Bitch, as well since she's Jasper's 'twin'?"

"For God's sake, you and the nicknames, Belly".

Again, we laughed.

OOO

At eight thirty-five, I was sat between Garrett and Peter in Emmett's Jeep, watching as the scenery flashed by. Greens, browns and reds all blurring into on wall of natural beauty. My overly sensitive eyes could easily see the flecks of gold and all the other colours that were in that 'wall'. It was weird being able to see things an average human would never actually have the privilege to notice. They would go through their entire lives never seeing what other colours were in the rainbow. They would never hear the heart of a baby inside a mother's womb before that woman went and got her scan. They would never be able to smell the amazing scents that came with newly bought books that had the best kind of paper in it. But, sadly, my vision was slightly blurred anyway because of the contacts they had forced me to wear. It made me feel uncomfortable.

"All you have to do is spend at least an hour in the bar and you've passed the test", Jasper said from where he lay at our feet, hiding from sight. "It's easy, well, it should be for you".

"You say it should be easy but what if it's not? What if I kill someone in front of everyone else?" I whispered, feeling my nerves start to tingle.

"No problem, Bells" Emmett called back from the driver's seat, "We'll be there to stop you and if you do attack someone, we'll just say you're a little bit insane. Perfect plan, right?"

I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not so I kept silent, letting my mind go over what I had just been told. My hands clenched at the thought of letting our kind get noticed by humans. Myths were just that, myths, and people hardly believe them. But allowing my family get caught up in one of my mistakes wouldn't do. Sure, I killed people but they deserved it. Killing an innocent or sentencing them to a life like mine wasn't a good thing. That was totally different from killing someone who was causing even more grief in the world.

"Plus, Alice looked into your future", Jasper smiled back at me. "Nothing should go wrong".

"It'll be a laugh anyway, Bella", Garrett told me, grinned, "And we'll all pretend to get drunk so we can just act like total idiots and get away with it!"

The other guys let out a whoop while I sunk deeper into my seat, dunking under Garrett's arm until I was sure I could pretend to be invisible. God, as if today could get any worse. With a very depressed Edward leaving, an extremely motherly Esme ranting and cute, little Vincent saying he wanted a family that consisted of Emmett, me and himself, things were already quite bad. If fact, I'm surprised that Rosalie hadn't gone all bitchy on me yet! Many would expect her to take away my limbs and watch them burn one by one but no, she had just kept silent. Staring at those who went by and listened to those who spoke to her, if they dared.

"Here we go", Jasper hooted, clapping his hands together then tickled my ankles. "Get ready for the explosions of perfume, sweat and alcohol!"

They threw open the car doors, leapt out with Jasper slipping out after them but I didn't move until Peter grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the Jeep. His grin was contagious as he skipped towards the door just underneath a huge, neon sign that glowed 'Sandy's Southern Saloon'. Giggling at the name, we caught up with the rest of the group and froze at the door.

"Shallow breaths, Bella", Jasper explained, "so that a small amount of their scents can be smelled then later on, take deeper breaths. Just be careful of where you walk, try not to touch anyone and feel the heat radiating off of them. It'll make the job of keeping control all that much harder".

Nodding, I gripped Peter's hand tighter, ignoring the wince I could see he was trying to hide, and took a confident but small step closer to the door. The volume of the music was increasing with each step I took forward and I had to resist the urge to cover my ears. Everyone else was already stepping inside, since they _had _been walking _normally_, and my steps were like a babies first ones. That was what made me sigh in frustration and rush, at a human pace, towards the entrance.

"Well, you made it to the door okay, I suppose", Peter sounded strained like he was in pain, which I knew he was.

Loosening my grip on his fingers, I nodded jerkily and took the last step into the bar. _That was when the scents hit me_. It was like having a blocked nose for a full week then it was gone and you could smell nearly everything. I almost stumbled back out the door. Perfume of different types and smells were choking me. Sweat had been building up in there so I knew that scent would be stuck in my nostrils for some time. And _the blood_ was like the smell of chocolate for a human. Strong, intoxicating and oh so delicious. My throat burned as the venom pooled in my mouth, making me swallow continuously until it was gone.

"Good girl!" Jasper slung his arm over my shoulders and tugged me into his side, "We'll sit in the furthest booth from the bar but close enough so you'll be able to smell all the differences in each human's blood".

He led me in, glancing around at the humans around us, before striding towards a booth in the far away corner, away from the busy bar. I could practically feel the heat pulsing through the air towards me, taunting me but I set my eyes on the table where Garrett sat with Rosalie and Emmett. They were chatting too quickly for any humans to tell but I could see the fast movement of their lips, indicating their ongoing conversation.

"You're doin' so well".

Five more strides and I'd be there. Four more strides and I'd be there. Three more strides and I'd-

"Well hello".

And that's when everything was _flushed down the toilet._

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><p><strong><em>So I would like to thank <em>**_Ashalenn **for giving me the 'Rosa-Bitch' idea and, also, I would like to thank **Leens **for noticing my mistakes in a few chapters. So, yeah, thank you.**_

_And what do you guys think has happened? Who's the person who caused everything to be _flushed down the toilet_? What will happen afterwards? Oh... The cliff hanger has appeared!  
><em>**_Tell me your thoughts. I will be surprised if anyone gets it right but you can try. Yeah, that's right, you people I don't know, I AM challenging you. _**

_And I'm asking you a serious question here, okay? I was wondering if you would like to create a banner for You Promised Me Forever? I'm not an extremely artistic person and I can't control my laptop right to make one, either so I'm asking you to help me out a little here. You can call it a contest if you will and I will pick the one I like the best. This would be a great help to me and I'll try to find a way of thanking the creator of the 'banner-poster-thingy' that I pick. (Maybe give them a sneak preview of the Fanfic I'm writing right now about Paul/OC) So thank you, again and I'm not sure if you can PM your idea(s) to me or not but I suppose I'll fine out!_

**_Oh, and wish me luck for my English Exam tomorrow! (Im going to need it if I want to get Credit Grades)_**


	8. Chapter Seven, A Little Bit Of

_**Right, this is a seriously short chapter compared to the rest but I thought that since I hadn't uploaded in a while, I should do so. I'm sorry for that by the way. I've been on Wattpad writing my new book (Bees Forgetting To Fly so you could check that out if you want to) and I've been having 'fun' studying for a while. My exam was crap so I've been thinking about that a lot too.**_

_**So here's another chapter of You Promised Me Forever. Enjoy!**_

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><p>Chapter Seven<br>A Little Bit Of Protection For My Army

My nostrils flared. My eyes narrowed. My hands clenched. My teeth took hold of my lower lip. Her fingers were trailing up my arm slowly, plucking little bits of loose thread from my t-shirt as a wide grin spread across her face. There was a niggling in the back of my mind, screaming at me to fight or run but I chose neither. Standing tall, eyes never leaving her face, I didn't dare show my discomfort. And that's what she seemed to like. The excited gleam in her eye had my nerves on edge, making my fingers twitch from their tightened fists. It was as if she had won a prize somehow, or at least that's what her ruby red eyes were telling me. Milliseconds ticked by and the subtle changes around her were made noticeable when a tall, lanky man approached her from behind. His hands took their place on her petit shoulders and he bent slightly at the knee to be closer to her height.

"Beautiful", her accent was strong, Spanish definitely or at least I think it was Spanish, "don't you think, Riley?"

The man, who must have been changed at around age eighteen, smirked down at the little woman, "Of course, but you're always so stunning to me, love".

They shared a glance. Quick but not quick enough for me not to miss. An entire conversation was passed between them without any words, their eyes told it all. Yet, I didn't truly understand any of it. His, which were black with thirst, bore down into hers and she gave him a cheeky wink before turning back to me, smiling broadly. She was shorter than me, giving me an advantage already.

Something else grabbed her attention then, "My old friends, Jasper _and_ Peter. Long time no see, right? And look how good you look!"

It was then that I felt the tense bodies at either side of me, slightly behind as if they were flanking me. On each wrist was a hand clamped, never loosening grip at all. My rage increased. The beast inside me was roaring to be unleashed, not liking this new vampire at all. She had an extremely negative vibe about her. Something was screeching death at me. Something about her was just that. Death. (And not in the vampire way either).

"Maria", both men behind me greeted her, keeping a neutral tone but still letting disgust seep through a little.

A hiss, low and threatening, came from the table where I had been heading and my eyes instantly flashed towards the sound. Three sets of eyes were flashing between our little group and back to the other vampires sat around the booth. Rosalie, I knew, wouldn't make defensive sound in my honour and by the look on her smug face, it only cemented that thought. Garret, although he looked murderous, was speaking with too much speed for even me to hear and his attention was focused on Emmett.

_Emmett?_

His face was contorted into a look of pure and utter fury. Lips set into an angered snarl. Teeth grinding together. Venom coating those little, white blades. Broad shoulders stiff and set as if ready to attack. Just by looking at him, I knew his emotions would be staggering. That only caused me to feel sorry for Jasper, who would be taking the brunt of it all. Somewhere in his golden eyes, there was a glimmer of frustration and a twinge of sadness but it was mostly fury. Scared, that was what I was. Absolutely frightened.

And what Maria said next seemed to push the bear of a man overboard:

"You would be an excellent asset to my army so much potential".

A roar rumbled from his broad chest, causing most of the bar to look our way, and Emmett was storming towards us with a deathly look covering his face. Luckily, he seemed to have enough control over himself to be thundering over at a human pace but many humans were already making their way towards the door. Not that anyone else was watching the human people as their eyes were on Emmett, who had just reached us. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he practically yanked me behind him as another growl erupted from his throat. I fell against him, speaking a little at the sudden movements.

"I want him too, Riley", Maria squealed like a little girl, probably eyeing Emmett up and down. "Look at him! Strength, obviously but think of the help that would bring for us".

And for some unknown reason, I had to clench my teeth together to stop the hiss that would have escaped. Surely, it wasn't jealousy playing there, right? Or possessiveness? Why in the name of Jesus Christ would I feel possessive over someone who _used to be_ like a brother to me? Wait- _used to be_? Then what was he to me now? There was no answer for it. My mind was blank.

"Stay away", Emmett snarled, his shaky arms creating a barrier around me, "from her".

"Oh! Possessive much!" Maria giggled, "Is she your mate?"

The hiss that came from the table must have answered her question because when I peeked under Emmett's arm, I noticed Maria's face stretching into a smile of fake innocence. My eyes narrowed, feeling _something_ biting at my insides like it was warning me. Not being one to go against my gut, I ducked down underneath his arm and stood partly in front of but mostly to his left.

Sneering slightly, "Emmett's Rosalie's mate and I'm a… Loner? Yeah, let's go with that. And why would we", I wiggled a finger between Emmett and I, "want to join your army? From what I have heard, you've destroyed many lives, families and towns. I don't plan on being a part of any of that".

Then her face changed. From nice to nasty in a second. Gone was the innocent smile and in its place was a scowl that could send any human running for the hills within minutes. Riley, the man behind her, glared at me over her shoulder and his eyes were slowly but surely fading into black. His teeth gleamed with venom as a wicked smile crossed his features, showing me that he would attack. _If I were a dog, my hackles would be up by now._

"You should speak to me with respect, _child_, because with age comes maturity and with maturity come the right to punish those younger and _lower _than yourself", Maria scolded, pointing an accusing finger at my face. "If my good old friends here weren't around you would be burning to ash by now".

The sudden urge to bite that index finger off was niggling at my insides but I ignored it, keeping my sneer in place. It wasn't surprising to notice that Rosalie was slowly making her way towards us, cracking her knuckles like a piano player would do. Her face told me everything. The hate. The anger. The annoyance. The grief. The possessiveness. Everything. She was quick to latch herself on to Emmett's arm, completely ignoring me as she narrowed her eyes in on Maria.

"He's mine".

Two words. And a burning sensation was quickly turning my heart into a shell of what it had been. Two words. And I felt like I was dying the most horrible death. Two words. And I didn't understand my reaction to them at all.

"Maria, darlin', we don't want any problems, hun", Peter drawled lazily. "We're here for trainin'. That's all. Bella needs to learn a lil' more before anythin' serious happens".

It was like his words only strengthened her plans for me as she scooted by Emmett, who looked tense and frozen as Rosalie practically scrubbed her scent into him. Paranoid much? But I glanced away from them, watching as Maria trailed a hand over Jasper's chest then Peter's before resting the tips of her fingers on my shoulder, lightly tapping them in a quick beat. I could hear the fabric being scratched by her nails, catching on the material every few taps. Irritation swept through me.

"Such a fine specimen", Riley mumbled, his eyes tracing down my body. "You have such taste, Maria".

"Thank you, darlin'".

He seemed to like her praise but his eyes never left me. That worried me quite a bit. What was with that guy?

The increasing volume of a thumping heart caught my attention then, and I watched as a woman in hardly any clothes strode towards us. Her hair was pinned away from her face, pencils threaded through the strands like some kind of design. She looked a little sluttish. With the mini, leather skirt and the tight shirt that probably had more buttons undone than done up. As she moved closer to our group, the scent of her blood became more pronounce. Drugs and alcohol, not a safe mix, but they were there. Tainting her blood.

Trying to sound _'sexy'_, she smirked at us (mostly the guys), "Hey, ma boss was wonderin' if you lot are gonna be sittin' or leavin' 'cos he don't like the standin' folk. Takes up too much space, yeah?"

Jasper frowned, "We'll be leavin', right guys?"

The rest of us, minus Riley and Maria, nodded. We didn't want to be here any longer than we had to and five minutes was enough for me. For a training night, it had been a lot more. With Maria and her army, Riley and his freaky stare, Rosalie and her growing hate then with Emmett and his weird protection.

_Talk about having so much fun! Yeah, maybe in another century..._

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><p><strong><em>So, it's short but did anyone expect it to be Maria? No? I won the challenge! Ha ha ha ha haaaa... <em>**

_Oh and I'm still looking for a banner of sorts. Anyone with ideas, PM me please. It must include Emmett and Bella (obviously) and that's about it. Of course, the title too!_

_And can you please tell me what you think because I have a feeling that REVIEW button hasn't been getting pressed enough, people! But Thanks for Reading._


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